TLOS: Sparx the Dragon
by The1upguy
Summary: What if Malefor was not the Dark Master, but just a servant to do his bidding. After losing to Spyro, the real Dark Master has decided a new 'puppet' to control the Dragon Realms is in order, and what better choice than the one that defeated Malefor. However, born in the fires of hell, a new dragon could prove to be a more powerful choice. T for violence and mild language. COMPLETE
1. Spyro & Cynder's first house guest

I do not own Spyro the Dragon, or any other characters affiliated with The Legend of Spyro Series.

I do not own the Skylanders name or any of the characters from that game, and I think it might be a good idea to tell you now, since you have seen the name Skylanders, that this story in no way has anything to do with "The Skylanders". I just found it as a good name for the military of the Dragon Realms. So if you are a Skylander fan...I'm sorry...this has nothing to do with the plot of that story.

However, I find it an exceptional way to exploit some of the many concepts that game has to offer, so you will see things like the Portal Master, and an individualistic army that will span the galaxy of video games, so on with the disclaimer.

I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any character in the Sonic series. See not a Skylander, but one hell of a General.

I do not own Jax or Daxter, you get the point..:)

To make this short (I know, too late) I do not own any other copy written characters that I have decided to add. However, the story is original. All other names are made up poorly, and with no real thought process what so ever.

It was the day after the wedding. And I, Ignitus, the new Chronicler of this age, was most excited to see my friend after so many years. I was upset not to be able to attend, but other matters of more importance were at hand. Tens of thousands of inhabitants filled the Valley of Avalar to witness the union between Cynder & Spyro, and show great appreciation for the saviors of their world. A more joy filled & peaceful time the planet has never experienced. However, unbeknownst to all of us, there was another that was aware of this BOND...The Dark Master.

**The Legend of Spyro IV: Sparx The Dragon**

Chapter One: Spyro & Cynder's first Houseguest

It is a beautiful day in the Valley of Avalar. Dual waterfalls to the east and west drop into the valley from the high crescent cliff along the north end. The torrents of water flow unrestrained towards each other, colliding near the center of the valley. From there the raging river roars southerly like a full speed locomotive. This massive flow bends around the old abandoned Cheetah village to another steep waterfall. A large cave entrance sits just to the right of these falls.

Inside the cave, an entertainment system with full communication capabilities lining the back wall, and a lowered pit area to the left with a raging fire, prove this is not just a hole in the mountain but a dwelling. Not just any dwelling either, it is the new home of the greatest hero of Avalar.

Large portraits of Spyro and his new bride adorn the walls of the main living room along with many awards and medals from his service to Avalar. Moving through the cave, there is only one door attached to the main room. Through it, is a vast sleeping chamber where Spyro & Cynder are sprawled out atop a large pile of pelts and large cushions.

The young adult purple dragon has grown quite a bit, but still smaller then a guardian or even a full adult dragon. His gold horns are a foot longer, and the scales on his body are more pronounced then ever. Spyro's chest plate bulges with a more muscular upper body, and his forearms are massive too, his right arm draped across the stomach of his life long love and brand new bride, Cynder.

She has grown in height, looking more like she did when Spyro fist saw her. Her scarlet red chest and wings highlight her dark-colored body, and are the only things visible in the dark room.

However, a beam of sunlight coming through a crack in the cave is the only light inside, and as the sun slowly crosses the Valley, so too does this beam across the floor of the sleeping chamber. It hits Spyro directly in the eye, and he winces. The young dragon wakes up and yawns uncontrollably.

"Oh man...I've got to fix that!" he says to himself with exhaustion from the long wedding and even longer reception.

Spyro then looks over at his new wife and smiles. He gets up off the floor, easily so as not to wake her, then strides on all fours to the entrance of his new home. As he reaches the mouth of the cave, a smile crosses his features. A vivid picture fills his eyes and assures the young dragon he will always remember his first day of marriage.

"What a beautiful day," Spyro yelps as he stretches his paws out in front of his body like a cat.

"Yes...and it's because of you my friend that we may gaze upon a day like this!" An eerily familiar voice bellows from Spyro's right near the edge of the south falls. Spyro jumps mid-stretch, and looks over to see a dragon he doesn't quite recognize. His voice...it sounds like his old mentor, but he is blue-ish in color, not red.

"…Ignitus?" Spyro says, unconvinced at what he is seeing, possibly still sleeping or still a little drunk from the party.

However when Ignitus nods his head yes, a look of amazement fills Spyro's face.

"By the ancestors… I can't believe you're alive!" the young dragon bellows as he walks closer. Spyro begins sniffing the air and ground, still unsure. Ignitus just chuckles at his friend's reaction.

When Spyro hears that distinct laugh and can smell the scent of his old mentor, a huge smile fills his features. He rears up on his hind legs, standing a head taller then Ignitus on all fours. The blue dragon hops up slightly, himself, and the two dragons take each other in a tight embrace.

"Spyro...it is good to finally see you again after all these years," Ignitus whispers in his old friend's ear.

"I don't understand how this is possible!" Spyro replies, holding his friend tighter. "I saw you die."

"Yes...I know," Ignitus retorts and breaks the hug with his friend to look him in the eye. "I was not sure, myself, at first. I used all my power to throw you and Cynder across the belt of fire, knowing full well what that meant."

Ignitus pauses and sits down to recall the images that passed through his mind at that final moment of his life.

"I was dead, or so I thought. For a moment I felt nothing, but could see and hear everything," He says awkwardly, knowing how strange that sounds, then looks dead into Spyro's prying purple eyes, and loosens his mood seeing his friend intently listening to his every word.

The blue dragon focuses hard on the images that became more vague as his spirit was called away.

"I watched as you and Cynder went into Malefor's lair and faced him...then into the depths of Avalar to defeat him..." Ignitus' eyes blink with a no further recollection. "...but at the last moment, I blacked out."

Ignitus pauses and looks down at himself, his eyes show that he is still not used to his new color and looks back up to his friend as he continues.

"I awoke to find myself in a strange place. It was a vast library of ancient books, and a very old dragon was waiting there for me," the old guardian says with a pride-filled tone in his voice.

"You met the Chronicler?" Spyro asks with surprise.

"MET HIM!?" Ignitus barks with a bit of anger in his voice. "Are you drunk? Open your eyes Spyro...I BECAME him!"

"What!?" the young dragon yelps, but then his tired eyes finally focus and can see the amulet around his neck.

"BY THE ANCESTORS!" Spyro bellows a little too loud, waking his wife from her slumber.

"Hey! What is going on out there!?" She cries from her room loud enough for Spyro to hear over the rushing waterfall. His face shows anguish as he hears the anger in her voice for being woken so early.

"Sorry Cynder!" her husband barks sheepishly, then valiantly pushes the blame off on his guest. "...Ahhh, you might want to wake up and see who is here to visit."

"This early in the morning!?" She says to herself. Cynder sighs, but starts her wake up routine. The long thin dragoness stretches her razor tipped wings and long legs. Slowly she rears up on her hind legs, arching her back, then reaching to the ceiling, almost touching it.

Cynder is still as slender as she was five years ago, streamlined and fast. Her dark scales are almost black in color, but show their true deep purple hue as she walks through the beam of bright sunlight. Her vibrant red chest plate & wings light up as the focused beam of light hits the polished razor-blade-tip of her tail. Cynder notices the light her blade casts and repositions her tail to focus the beam up against the ceiling.

The room illuminates with a rainbow of color from the polished metal of her tail blade and Cynder smiles to herself.

"He's not fixing that hole, not if I have anything to say about it."

The dragoness lowers her head down to a pool of fresh water that is continually fed by the river outside the cave. She takes a drink then splashes some of the cold water on her face.

As the dark dragoness continues her wake up routine, Spyro and Ignitus continue their chat.

"Five years Spyro?" Ignitus asks with shock in his voice. "What were you waiting for? I figured you would've settled down with Cynder long ago."

"I was fighting with the Skylanders," Spyro replies with a bit of anxiousness in his voice.

"For that long?" Ignitus says with surprise. "I would've figured 'Spyro the Dragon' would be allowed a bit of leniency. Maybe sit out one or two fights."

"My thoughts exactly, but sometimes things don't work out that way," Spyro retorts with a smirk.

"Yes, I can attest to that." Ignitus walks over to his friend and rests his paw upon Spyro's flank. "So how were your adventures with the Skylanders?"

"Something I would like to forget at this time," he somberly replies and lowers his head down.

Ignitus looks at his friend with curiosity. "Why would you say that, Spyro?"

"Now don't get me wrong," the purple dragon barks, raising his eyes back to look his mentor in the face. "I appreciate everything that the Skylanders did for me. I am stronger, faster, and have a better knowledge for who I am, what I am, and what I can do. I also have friends all over the universe that would come at the drop of a hat if I asked..."

Ignitus feels the pause in Spyro's thought then helps him along.

"But…?" He says to press the issue.

Spyro looks down in defeat again. "But...I was there for five years."

Ignitus looks at his friend in amazement. "Why that long Spyro?"

"I don't really know why," Spyro responds, but then gives his friend a dumb look. "Maybe because I did something I wasn't supposed to do...or perhaps I annoyed the wrong person."

"Whom, if I may ask, did you annoy?" Ignitus asks already knowing the answer.

"Of all the people to anger, I picked the worst," Spyro replies with a humorous tone in his voice.

Ignitus stares at his friend with a stupid expression himself.

"Let me guess...the Portal Master?"

Spyro lowers his head and simply replies, "YUP!"

"Young dragon, you still have a lot to learn," his mentor laughs with a wry smirk upon his face. After a moment, however, his smile goes away for a more serious look, and he walks over to his old friend. "But that is no reason to keep you for so long, Spyro. I have never heard..."

Ignitus' thought is interrupted as Cynder makes her way to the mouth of the cave. The new Chronicler is not in view, so she asks her husband.

"Who are you talking to out here?"

However, she is startled when her eyes happen upon a dragon she knows is dead. A fearful look fills her gaze as she gasps with shock.

"What the hell...?" She blurts.

Ignitus & Spyro just smile at her.

"It's good to see you, too, Cynder," Ignitus replies with a slight grin.

"Oh...I'm sorry," Cynder blushes from her embarrassment, she looks at her husband with complete uncertainty. "It's not often you see a ghost."

"He's not a ghost," Spyro responds laughing. "He's the new Chronicler."

Cynder's eyes open wide and she turns her head back to the blue dragon. "You have the job of keeping track of history. What happened to the other Chronicler?"

"I don't really know," Ignitus replies with a vague tone in his voice. "He passed his powers on to me, and disappeared from sight. I don't even understand why I was given this gift."

"Well, they couldn't have picked a better dragon," Spyro says to his friend, and looks him in the eye. "I just wish I had a chance to thank him for his help."

"Well, technically you just did," The blue dragon bellows, and Spyro looks at Ignitus with a puzzled expression. The young dragon's old mentor can see the confusion in Spyro's eyes and tries to make sense of his last comment.

"You see, this body is just a conduit to hold my life force. I have all of my memories as Chronicler, as well as the memories of my former lives," Ignitus tells him, smiling. "It is this vast sea of knowledge that allows me to provide the best solutions for any situation at hand."

"Maybe you could give me some of that vast knowledge," Spyro barks with an embarrassed chuckle in his voice. "I sure could use it with a certain Portal Master..."

Ignitus puts his hand on his head, and Cynder looks over at her husband.

"What happened between you and him?" Cynder asks with a concern stare. "You never did tell me about it Spyro, and I know something went wrong. You've seemed so distant since you came back!"

Spyro turns his head down, away from his wife. He knows he can not tell her the truth.

"You know how I can get sometimes, honey. We butted heads a few times. I just wanted to come home...I was gone a while." Spyro can see that Cynder is not believing a word he says, and she quickly sighs to show her disapproval in his lie, but nevertheless, the purple dragon holds his tongue.

"Listen, why don't we go inside? We can catch up while relaxing a bit; besides, Ignitus, you haven't seen the new house yet." Spyro says sheepishly, trying to change topic.

Ignitus can sense his friend is holding something back, and so does Cynder. They both let it slide, seeing he does not want to speak about it.

The three dragons enter the main room, walking over to a small fire that is crackling in the lowered area off to the left. A thick layer of furry pelts line the area where Cynder, Spyro and the new Chronicler lay down and begin their talk.

Ignitus looks around the room and can see the spoils of being the most respected inhabitant of the planet. The cave is spacious and well decorated, mostly with gifts and medals to both Spyro and the now well-respected Cynder.

However, one portrait hanging on the wall takes the Chronicler's attention, and he is suddenly aware of the lack of chatter in the room. A small gold dragonfly is missing from this conversation.

"Where is Sparx?" Ignitus asks and Cynder immediately blushes, she looks to her husband and can see the emptiness fill his expression.

Cynder turns back to the dragon that has been missing for five years to let him know the terrible news, but before she can open her muzzle…

"He died in an accident two months ago!" Spyro quietly replies, and Cynder returns her attention to him with shock. He has not been able to even talk of Sparx since that day, but in the company of the only dragon he has considered a father, the young dragon is finally able to speak. "I tried to save him, but I was too late to help...I failed him."

"You didn't fail him Spyro," Cynder yelps grasping his paw, and draping her wing over his flank to hold him tightly. "I'm sure he knows that you did everything you could to try and save him."

The elder blue dragon also lies beside his former protégé, feeling terrible for his loose-lipped moment. Ignitus lowers his muzzle down to his friend.

"I'm so sorry Spyro!" Ignitus somberly whispers. "What happened?"

Cynder can see her husband's eyes begin tearing up from recalling such a painful memory. She suddenly feels helpless, but tries to comfort him by staying quiet and holding on to his paw. He has not spoken much of his brother, so she is happy to finally hear him release a little.

"It turns out we were wrong Ignitus..." Spyro yelps with a bit of a chuckle in his sadness. "He really was a hero...and he proved that at his final moment." Spyro looks dead into Ignitus' eyes as he continues telling him of his brother's sacrifice. "He selflessly chose to try and save the lives of several whelpling dragons...knowing full well that he was going to fail and was absolutely sure he would die in the process!"

Ignitus lowers his head, depressed but also with suspense. The elder dragon is afraid to ask and is upset that he does not fully know Spyro's life for the past few years.

"What if he died while failing?" Ignitus thinks to himself, but before he could stop his thought...

"Did he save the whelplings, Spyro?" Ignitus asks very apprehensively. He is shocked at himself for even saying that, feeling more like Volteer with his unstoppable muzzle. However, he is quickly relieved when he looks at his friend.

A gleam in the purple dragon's eye sends a chill down the former fire guardian's spine, and he knows the answer before it is spoken.

"Of course he did!" Spyro barks with pride. "He was MY brother!"

Cynder is beside herself seeing a smile on her husband's face, while talking about Sparx. He has even been short with her about the subject, but now she can see he is opening up to the 2 dragons that knew him the best.

"It was during a bad storm in the city of New Warfang. Five inches of rain fell in an hour, and the city was quickly flooded." Spyro grasps his wife's paw tightly, remembering that night. Cynder curls her wing against him tighter assuring him she is there.

"A small group of children were caught in the downpour… three of them were swept into a storm drain." Spyro lowers his head and takes a deep breath. He looks up to the sky and his pride filled voice cracks a few times. "Sparx held his breath for over three minutes, swimming against a strong current to unplug that drain, so the children had time to be rescued. If he didn't, all three would have drowned."

A quiet pause settles over the group, and Spyro stares at the portrait of the little dragonfly that was larger than life. A smile fills his features, believing he knows what his brother would be thinking at his last moment.

"I would bet he believed they would name a school after him!" Spyro says with laughter in his voice to break the silence, and Ignitus smiles.

However, the look Cynder gives him is a bit baffling. Her eyes show shock that he almost guessed it right.

"It's going to be more like a park, Spyro," Cynder yelps and squeezes her husband's paw softly. "Terrador wants to call it...Dragonfly Park!"

"WHAT!?" The purple hero barks with shock.

"I was going to tell you later when the plans were to be announced, but I think this is as good a time as any!" Cynder yelps with a smile. She can see the gratitude in his eyes, and Spyro lowers his head down for a moment.

"You did this?" he asks somberly.

"NO!" Cynder yelps, and Spyro looks up at her confused. "Believe it or not...this was Volteer's doing. He and Sparx grew very close, and he was as upset as you when he found out what happened."

Spyro suddenly feels bad for not expressing his emotion with Volteer that one time he asked… he never knew Sparx had made so many friends. A smile crosses his face, thinking about his best friend and imagining him flying around a park named in his honor.

"How could they be such good friends, I wonder...?" Ignitus bellows seriously, startling both Spyro & Cynder. He smiles at both of them and with a sarcastic tone finishes his thought. "…if neither could get a word in edgewise?"

All three dragons laugh simultaneously and continue to share story after story of the young dragonfly that annoyed his way into everyone's heart… even Cynder's.

Soon thereafter, Spyro & Cynder decide to give the new Chronicler the nickel tour of their new home, the entire Valley of Avalar, a gift given to them by the Cheetah Warriors, whom rightfully owned the land, and a perfect place for two powerful dragons to raise their family.

After hours of peaceful and thought-provoking conversation while strolling through the lands, the setting of the second sun tells the Chronicler it is time to leave. The 3 dragons flew easily back to the mouth of Spyro's cave as the light begins to fade from the sky.

"Well, do us a favor, buddy, and try to come again before another five years go by," Spyro yelps with laughter as they land upon the ground.

"I'll see what I can do," Ignitus quickly replies with a chuckle of his own. "...and once more I'd like to say congratulations and good luck to the both of you!"

"Thank you Ignitus, and good luck to you in your new endeavor," Cynder says with a smile.

Spyro strides over to his wife and wraps his wing around her, pulling Cynder side by side. He leans his muzzle against hers, pecking his wife on the cheek. "I'll be in in a little while, baby… if you don't mind, I would like to talk to Ignitus for a moment!"

"Of course, honey!" Cynder replies and rubs her muzzle under his chin. "I know you boys want some alone time, but don't take too long..."

Cynder turns her head around quickly, staring deep into Spyro's purple eyes. "...We have plans for this evening, remember!?"

Spyro smiles, knowing their plans are to do nothing but stay in each other's arms all night.

Cynder sees the approving smile from her husband, and she returns her attention to Ignitus once more. "Good night Ignitus, it was nice seeing you again."

"Good night to you, too, my dear," Ignitus replies with a slight bow of his head. The young dragoness yawns and turns into the cave, slowly disappearing from sight.

Spyro sits down on his hindquarters, next to his friend, lowering to his stomach and stretching his paws out. Ignitus lies beside his friend in the same fashion, and both look up towards a small blue speck of light in the night sky.

"You know something? It was actually nice to have a conversation with you, for once, that didn't involve death, destruction, or rescuing the world." Spyro yelps with sarcasm. "I don't think we ever did that before!"

"Yes..." Ignitus laughs deeply, but notices Spyro doesn't return the laughter. "...it was very...different."

The young dragon takes a deep breath, then returns his eyes to the sky. Ignitus can feel the cold silence of anxiety inside his friend. There is something he wants to say, but just not sure of how to say it.

Ignitus is first to break the silence.

"I felt your tension all day young dragon. I will talk with the Portal Master." The former Fire Guardian bellows and Spyro's attention is immediately returned from space. "Gaven is a good friend of mine, and I am sure he was not upset with you."

"Don't be so sure." Spyro retorts quickly.

"He has told me himself that you are his most powerful and fearless Skylander!" Ignitus barks proudly.

"He DID?" Spyro is shocked. He was treated so poorly by the Portal Master. "When did he say that?"

"I may have been gone for a while, but I still hear things from time to time," Ignitus replies and Spyro lowers his head.

"So you know!" he sheepishly responds.

"KNOW WHAT!?" Ignitus yelps. The purple dragon's former mentor becomes a bit aggravated at Spyro's cryptic responses and finally just asks "What the hell happened?"

Spyro looks back to make sure his wife cannot hear him.

"Well, it was more than just an argument at the end. Things got kinda heated, you might say. I am not proud of what I did." Spyro looks back into the cave once more to make sure Cynder is not listening, then lowers his head with anguish. "I don't even know if I'm still considered a Skylander."

The young dragon places his paws on his head to cover the shame on his face.

"What did you do?" His friend asks somberly, seeing the pain in Spyro's expression.

"I burned him, Ignitus!" he says coldly with no emotion. Then the purple dragon's rage begins to surface in his voice. "I was angry with the way he was treating me. I fought for him for four long years, watching other Skylanders come and go. Some would be there for just a week, or maybe a month. Then they were sent home to their families."

Spyro stands up and begins walking from the cave, knowing his voice is going to get louder as he recalls the more annoying moments with his military service. Ignitus follows his friend as he strides over to the southern waterfall. The crashing noise of water covers a bit of his voice, and the beauty of the falls help keep his anger in check.

"I dealt with it...as the purple dragon I know this is what I was meant to do, and I've always been happy to do what I can." Spyro pauses for a moment. His head lowers again, knowing that what that means on Avalar is the complete opposite in the eyes of Gaven the Portal Master.

"But he never said a word to me Ignitus, the entire time I was there. It was like I did something wrong from the moment I arrived," The young dragon almost tearfully tells his friend. "No welcome, no nothing, not even a 'hello'. He just handed me my first assignment and opened a portal."

"I'm so sorry Spyro..." Ignitus walks over to his friend and places his paw upon Spyro's back.

"I barely even know what his voice sounds like," Spyro yelps with a forced chuckle, trying to just make himself laugh at the tense moment in his head. "It was hard to watch him strike up conversation after conversation with everyone else, but he would just stare at me…it was very awkward. Why he said I was his best… I don't get it!"

"Well he did, Spyro!" Ignitus exclaims and stares his friend dead in the eye. "The greatest Skylander he has ever had!"

"Well I guess that was longer then six months ago," Spyro says sarcastically, and Ignitus pauses for a moment. He can tell he will finally hear what has eaten at Spyro since getting there.

"Tell me what happened six months ago, Spyro?" Ignitus asks sternly, more like his father than his mentor.

"I found out Cynder was ill," Spyro replies and looks up to the former Guardian. "I asked him if I could go home and be with her… I promised I would return. He said NOTHING." Spyro begins pacing around trying to relieve his anger, but still his voice gets more agitated. "I walked around his desk and told him I was leaving."

"You know what he did?" Spyro asks rhetorically as he stops his pacing and stares at Ignitus. Then Spyro answers his own question with more anger in his voice.

"He handed me another DAMN ASSIGNMENT."

"Easy, Spyro," The blue dragon bellows to his friend, feeling his power starting to rise. "Calm down!"

"I never complained till that moment. I just did what I was told and he blew me off like I meant nothing… like Cynder meant nothing." Ignitus can see the anger building in Spyro's eyes as he turns to looks at him. "I lost it, Ignitus."

Spyro's voice and eyes fill with rage as he continues to tell his mentor what he did. "I was so ANGRY, I FILLED THE ROOM WITH FIRE. It was as bright as the Sun, and hotter then hell. I couldn't control my rage. I let loose all I had in one vicious blast, and destroyed that assignment while still in his hand."

Ignitus is in shock from his normally calm friend's outburst of rage.

"You didn't?" he replies with surprise.

"Yup, I did!" Spyro retorts then looks down recalling the next moment of his fight with the Portal Master. "...and when the smoke cleared, all I saw was his burned fist coming at me. I didn't even have a chance to duck, and I've never been hit that hard in my life."

"I can still feel it!" Spyro yelps rubbing his jaw from the phantom pain. "When I woke up some time later, he still never said a word to me. For an hour he just stared at me coldly. The silence made me feel even more nauseous than usual."

"What happened then Spyro?" The Chronicler asks when Spyro pauses for a long moment.

"He shook his head at me, looked down at his control panel, and opened a portal to the Valley of Avalar," Spyro replies with depression, then looks up at his friend with tears beginning to well up in his eyes. "Then he pointed angrily for me to leave… so I did. I've never felt so ashamed in all my life."

"I can't believe you would do that!" Ignitus yelps in shock.

"I couldn't believe it either, and I was there!" Spyro barks with another forced chuckle.

Ignitus walks over to his friend and grasps his shoulder. "Well I'm sure I talked to him before THAT little incident, or else he would have told me."

"Yeah, since you're one of the people he talks to, I guess," Spyro sarcastically blurts out.

The blue dragon gives a quick snort of laughter, but then becomes serious. "I just don't understand why he would do such a thing to you, or anyone for that matter." He replies, knowing Gaven for decades during one of the Chronicler's other lives. "I am going to go there tonight and I will talk with Gaven. I've known him years, and if he was acting that way, I want to know why."

"If you find out anything, please let me know?" Spyro asks genuinely as Ignitus begins to walk to an open area to take off. "I will not be able to rest with this on my mind."

"Nor would I," The blue dragon replies and looks back to his friend as his wings open wide. "I will get to the bottom of this."

"Thank you, Ignitus."

"No Spyro, thank you." The great dragon says with the utmost gratitude in his voice. "Good night young hero, and again, good luck to you and Cynder."

Spyro smiles at his friend as he takes off into the air. "Good night to you too… Chronicler"


	2. Gaven & The Skylanders

Chapter Two: Gaven and the Skylanders

Deep in space, a Skylander Portal Station slowly orbits the blue speck of light that Spyro & Ignitus were gazing upon in the night skies of Avalar. Through the large windows that adorn the outside of the spherical station, a large almost human-looking creature is sitting behind a steel desk with a massive amount of controls. A bandage covers a portion of his right hand, and he is resting it gingerly, only using his left.

The main room of the Station in a single word is bland. The walls and floor of the room are dull and gray. Only the eerie blue sunlight from the dwarf star it circles offers any color to the cold-feeling room. No pictures...no nothing. The only things in the room are the large work station, where the Portal Master sits and does his job, some control panels along the side walls, and a raised platform where a large disk of swirling energy is floating in mid-air; a portal, a rip in the fabric of space and time that allows easy travel for the Skylanders.

Standing at the base of this platform is one of Gaven's many fine warriors, a very diverse and strange group, but a powerful force to keep peace in the galaxy.

"Crash!" Bellows the deep voice of the giant sitting behind the desk, and the young bandicoot turns his attention to the Portal Master. "Step away from the platform for a minute...I think something just went wrong!"

Before the Skylander can move an inch, a loud bang and a streak of orange comes from the swirl of energy only a few feet from him. The colorful streak slams to the back wall and slowly slides down to the ground.

Inaudible yelps of pain come from the furry creature lying on the floor, as another emerges from the portal.

He is a humanoid with very long ears, and is covered head to toe with soot. The Skylander removes his goggles and looks around the room for his life long friend.

"DAXTER?" Jak coughs with smoke billowing from his mouth. "Are you OK!?"

The blue sunlight begins pouring into the closest window as the station spins to hold gravity, shining on the broken body of the little orange ottsel. A bit of fear fills his heart, knowing how bad his little friend was just hurt.

However, As Jak gets close to his small orange sidekick, he begins to raise his arm...

"Check Please!" Daxter blurts, and Jak immediately relaxes, he knows his best friend will be just fine.

"Very good work Jak..." Gaven yelps. "Now can you please scrape Daxter up off my floor?"

Jak holds his hand over his mouth trying to keeps his laughter in check, but it is no use.

"And the next time..." Gaven continues with a chuckle in his voice. "...don't let the color-blind idiot in the group cut any wires!"

"Yeah, I told him that was bad idea too, but you know Daxter," Jak replies to the Portal Master with a smile. "He always wants to be the hero."

Jak hovers over his friend, who is still smoldering, and looks down at him. "So, Hero, are you OK?"

"I don't think that was the blue wire...was it?" Daxter replies with smoke billowing from his mouth.

"Nope."

Jak picks up his little friend and walks out of the room. The Portal Master shakes his head in humorous disbelief, than re-focuses his attention back to the other Skylander in the room.

"Are you ready to go now Crash?"

Crash Bandicoot, being a mute, just looks at the Portal Master and shakes his head up and down. Gaven taps a few buttons at his work station, and another portal comes to life upon the platform.

Crash pulls a huge shotgun from his back, nearly half his size. He then looks back at Gaven with a creepy smile and leaps into the portal.

"What a nut job!" Gaven retorts to himself, then returns his attention to the view screens before him.

After a few moments of pressing buttons on his control panel, Gaven stops and flexes his hand with the bandage on it. It is clear that it has caused him some discomfort.

"Damn Dragon," he bellows with anger.

"That is not how I would hope this conversation would start!" barks a voice from out of nowhere, and Gaven is almost startled out of his chair.

"WHO'S THERE!?"

Ignitus walks from out of the shadows in the dark main room and into the pale blue sunlight, a very angered look upon his face.

"Me…you pompous bastard."

Gaven sees a blue dragon with his very old friend's amulet around his neck. The face is much different and younger, but the ohra around him reminds the Portal master of the dragon from his past.

"Constantine...no wait..." The Portal Master pauses remembering a New Dragon's Age has begun, and with it a new Chronicler to keep history.

"...it's Ignitus now...sorry!" Gaven yelps knowing several of the Chroniclers former lives.

"That's quite alright, Gaven..." Ignitus replies understanding the mistake his friend has made in several different instances of his former lives. "...You didn't stop calling me Aquis for over a decade!"

The Portal Master gives a slight smirk, but that smile lasts for only a second, as his new/old friend walks toward him with a fiery look in his eyes. He is sure he knows why he has actually made a personal visit, but tries to break the tension he feels already with a half-hearted joke.

"So...Are you here to finish that chess game?" He remarks, and Ignitus doesn't even crack a smile.

"Not really old friend..." He barks angrily and Gaven lowers his head feeling the verbal badgering forthcoming. "...I want to know why you shunned Spyro like that for so long. FOUR YEARS without a break…are you out of your mind? That dragon has done more for his world and the Skylanders than any individual should ever had to bare."

The Chronicler stomps over to Gaven's desk, and rears up on his hind legs. Ignitus slams his blue paws down on the steel surface, sending an echo that reverberates against the walls for several seconds. However, that sound is drowned out by the continued berating of the angry dragon in the room.

"You never spoke to him, or had a conversation with him? You would've learned a lot from that dragon. He is wiser in his young age than you are in your old age. I can not believe my FRIEND sitting in front of me could be so callous. Did he do something to deserve that treatment?"

The Portal Master could hear the question, but did not want to answer. He knew it was the wrong answer to give.

"No." he replies somberly, never lifting his head to look his friend in the eye, and as he expected, Ignitus becomes even more irate.

"THEN WHY!?" He yells in Gaven's face.

The Chronicler drops down off the desk, and walks around, continuing to howl and rant in rage at his friend's actions. "He had not changed since I knew him, and I still see and feel that same dragon I knew as a youngster. Happy, full of life, and for once with the one he loves. Both of you are not like this. How in the name of the ancestors did it come to a showdown?"

"He told you?" the Portal Master remarks.

"YES, he told me," The Chronicler replies, still with anger and volume in his voice. "How he burned you in a fit of rage when you ignored the fact his future wife fell ill. He had no concern for himself, only for her."

"Cynder & Spyro got married?" Gaven asks with shock.

"Yes finally, when he got back," Ignitus replies, knowing what a struggle it was just for them to be together. He turns his attention back to his friend with a slight smirk. "I'm not surprised you were not invited."

The Portal Master shows a bit of concern on his face. "I wonder if he told her," Gaven remarks with a blank expression.

"I'm sure he never spoken of this to anyone!" The blue dragon convincingly says. "I could see it in his eyes. He would never talk about what happened here. He was ashamed of himself..."

Ignitus pauses looking directly into the Portal Master's eyes...once again, anger fills his voice.

"...and looking at you now...I know that Spyro was telling the truth...YOU are to blame. You made a well-respected hero walk out of this room with his tail between his legs. How could you do that you son-of-a-"

"Stop...friend...please," Gaven interrupts, "...let me speak?"

The Portal Master rises from his chair, but still never raises his head. "I know Spyro never will accept my apology, but I am hoping you will. I know the friend Ignitus is to Spyro and the friend you have been to me through your other countless lives...so I have dreaded this day."

Gaven finally turns his head up and locks eyes with his old friend.

"I was ordered not to speak with him...to keep him here as long as possible...make him never want to come back."

Ignitus is dumbfounded by what he just heard, barking with anger for an answer. "In the name of the ancestors, why?"

"I don't know why," Gaven replies.

Ignitus pauses for a second and looks at his friend in wonderment. "Who gave that order?" He asks.

Gaven returns a somber gaze to the blue dragon, but before the Portal Master could open his mouth, an incredibly loud alarm begins to blare in the main room. Both dragon and Portal Master flinch at the sudden noise of the piercing klaxon.

Gaven looks down at the panel in front of him

"THAT CAN'T BE!" He yells as he looks out the window, towards the sun outside. His face shows grave concern as the giant blue dwarf star, only a few million miles away, starts to shrink.

Ignitus notices the room starting to get brighter, changing from a pale blue to a light shade of violet, then to a brighter shade of red. However, since the star is not visible to him in the large windows, he has no clue why.

His friend now starts pushing buttons on his control panel faster than HE has ever seen. It frightens the centuries-old dragon seeing Gaven with so much worry on his face.

"What is it?" The blue dragon barks with concern.

"Ignitus, get out of here. Go now. Get Spyro, and get back to me as fast as you can," Gaven replies never taking his eyes from the controls.

"Get Spyro...I don't understand," Ignitus yelps.

A portal opens directly in front of Ignitus, startling the blue dragon.

"PLEASE! I have no time to explain," Gaven replies and still never takes his eyes off the controls.

The station begins jostling around with a wicked vibration, and the room begins to change to an even brighter color as the star outside continues to shrink, becoming more powerful.

"Just tell him...I NEED HIS HELP," The Portal Master barks, finally looking up at his old friend.

Suddenly a loud explosion rocks the Portal Station, and Gaven can see the massive shock wave approaching through the large window facing the Sun.

"GO NOW!"

Ignitus leaps into the portal as the room turns almost white.

Gaven looks around the main room of the station he has worked in for a thousand years.

"Son-of-a-bitch. I finally had this place just the way I wanted it..."

The Portal Master smacks a large red button on his control panel and disappears just as the leading edge of the shock wave smashes into the Skylander's main Portal Station. A massive explosion destroys the entire space platform.

As the blinding light fades from the explosion, we find ourselves inside Spyro and Cynder's bedroom. It is late at night and both dragons are asleep.

Strangely, the sound of the explosion wakes Spyro from his slumber. He pops to his feet, sweating profusely and screaming in fear for his life. Cynder is woken by a sound she hasn't heard in a long time. The sound of Spyro frightened. She gets up to comfort her visibly shaken husband.

"SPYRO! What is it!? Are you OK!?"

Spyro tries to shake the cob webs of this weird dream, and grabs his wife's paw that she rested upon his arm.

"I don't know...I think so...it felt like a nightmare, but it also so felt real. It was kinda...weird. I can't explain the sensation. It's like I was there. I actually felt like I was in serious trouble."

A voice disturbs the silence coming from a dark area inside their bedroom.

"You are, young dragon!"

Both Spyro and Cynder are startled and look in the direction the voice came from.

"What the hell!?" Cynder barks.

Without warning Ignitus walks from the shadows, and into the beam of moonlight shining through the crack in the roof. The light illuminates Ignitus' face, showing that he is smirking again.

"Cynder... you really need to stop saying that every time you see me," Ignitus yelps with a chuckle as he walks up to the two tired dragons. A bigger smile crosses his muzzle as he looks into her green eyes.

"It's rude."

"RUDE!?" The dark dragoness bellows back. "I'LL SHOW YOU RU-"

Spyro grabs his wife and kisses her before she can say anything else.

Cynder gives him a dirty look mid-kiss, but then releases her anger for a moment to finish the kiss with a bit more passion.

Ignitus walks out of the sleeping chamber, and Spyro, after finishing his 'lip lock', smiles at his wife.

Cynder does not return a happy gaze. Instead she gives him the LOOK she was giving to Ignitus. Her husband lowers his head with worry of being slugged. Quickly he slinks out after his former mentor, allowing Cynder to calm down a bit.

The tall thin dragoness walks around the bedroom, trying to gather herself. She's so upset that Cynder talks to herself after Spyro leaves the room.

"RUDE. How 'bout popping up in someone's bedroom, unsuspectingly, in the middle of the damn night? Rude! Some Chronicler, doesn't even know when the hell we're sleeping."

Cynder continues to blow off some more steam before walking out to the main room where Spyro and Ignitus are in mid-discussion. She can see concern on her husband's face and immediately listens to his response to the question she did not hear.

"I don't get it Ignitus...if it blew up...how do we go THERE?"

"I don't know, but that's what he said," Ignitus replies

Spyro looks down and scratches the back of his head to think for a moment. "I don't believe this. How could that happen?"

"Regardless, I will figure out a way to get back there, Spyro?"

"I'm sure you will Ignitus," the purple dragon replies with conviction, however his voice falls off quickly to apprehension. "...but do I want to go back?"

Ignitus snaps his eyes to Spyro, and walks over to his uneasy friend. The taller blue dragon grasps Spyro's shoulders and holds him eye to eye. "Realize this young dragon...here is your chance. He is ASKING for YOUR help."

Cynder finally has had enough of the cryptic talk, and still has no clue what happened.

"Who asked for help? What blew up?" She barks with a questioning tone that Spyro knows he shouldn't answer with the truth, but will not keep this secret from his wife.

"The Skylander Portal Station was destroyed," Spyro says somberly.

"Who is asking for help, Spyro?" Cynder barks with anger hearing the name Skylanders.

"The Portal Master."

Cynder immediately shakes her head and yells "NO!"

"Cynder," Spyro retorts, but she doesn't let her husband say another word before going off.

"NO. I don't want you near that place ever again. You didn't come back the same. I've never seen you so depressed. I'm sure if you stayed there longer...you would have lost yourself, and I don't want you to go through that misery again. We are together now, and that's what matters."

Spyro pauses for a long moment, and Ignitus can see that same look of anguish he saw just hours before. He knows the secret that Spyro is keeping from Cynder.

The silence becomes uncomfortable, and the former fire guardian tries to be his diplomatic self.

"Cynder, Spyro is a Skylander. It is his duty to-"

Spyro interrupts his friend. "No Ignitus" Spyro yelps then looks up to his old mentor's eyes. "...I need to tell my wife the truth...by myself."

"What are you talking about!?" Cynder replies feeling a bit of uneasiness in her stomach, noticing Spyro still will not look her in the eyes.

"Please...friend," Spyro softly whispers. "Let me talk to my wife for a moment alone."

"Of course...I will wait for you outside." Ignitus turns to the cave entrance and can see the frightened look on Cynder's face. He feels horrible that he has pressed this issue upon his friends.

_As I walked out, Spyro began telling Cynder of his last day as a Skylander. When I reached the mouth of the cave, I was still able to hear him speak, but just barely._

_His voice was somber and broken, and I could see him shaking. He never looked her in the eye, nor did he even raise his head. I believe, at that moment, he has never been more afraid of anything in his life. If he could...I'm sure he would have found a place to curl up and die, instead of telling his wife how ashamed he was of his actions._

_From outside I watched Cynder's non-reactions to what her husband had said. She didn't say a word, but her face appeared as if she were as guilty as him, like it was her fault somehow. A completely drawn out expression filled the normally jovial features of the Dark Dragoness._

_When Spyro stopped speaking it appeared as if Cynder was going to say something, anything just to ease his pain. I hoped, and waited, but then I saw it in her eyes. She was hiding something too. Luckily for her, Spyro never looked up._

_She turned and walked away weeping uncontrollably, and Spyro turned his head up towards me at the mouth of the cave, then down again. I could see he was visibly shaken. _

_I've never seen him like that before, and I hope I never see it again._


	3. An Evil Power Returns to Avalar

**C**hapter 3 An evil power returns to Avalar

In a small abandoned village on a remote planet in the Dragon Realms, fires raging in the background highlight the devastation. Three demon like creatures stand in the middle of the carnage looking upon a body laying in the center of the old town.

As the creatures walk up to their victim, seeing his wrist communicator and the colored badge upon his arm, it becomes apparent...he is...or was a Skylander.

The Hairy beasts, much like the Grublins that Cynder and Spyro rid from Avalar after the war with Malefor, walk over to their prey and remove the wrist communicator from his lifeless arm.

"We have it." Barks one of the large grublins, holding the device up for all to see.

"GOOD! WE HAVE NEW ORDERS!" Bellows a loud voice from out of view.

The grublin, that took the communicator, starts pressing buttons and a portal opens directly in front of them. Through the swirl of energy, the Valley of Avalar begins to come into focus, and the 1st demon walks into the portal.

Back in the valley, Spyro and Ignitus stand inside the mouth of the cave. A fast moving thunderstorm had just blown through, and both sought shelter from the quick deluge of rain. Flashes of lightning can still be seen as the large clouds move off in the distance. As the sky clears it allows light from the moon and stars to reflect off the millions of droplets of water that cover everything...making this already beautiful valley, absolutely stunning.

The 2 friends continue their conversation staring at the peaceful valley. Ignitus has been the main contributor of the conversation...in fact...Spyro has said next to nothing since he spoke with his wife. His old mentor can feel the anguish in his young friend's heart, and tries to use the beauty of what sits before them to cheer Spyro up.

"What a view. I have never seen such beauty. You sure picked one hell of a place to settle down."

Spyro, still thinking about what he told his wife and how she reacted, barely hears Ignitus, even though he is only a foot away. The young dragon's mind is so preoccupied it takes a moment before he realizes that he was spoken to.

"What!" Spyro replies then looks around at the picturesque view, and with a very distant tone continues "Oh...Yeah...Thanks"

Ignitus shakes his head in disgust.

"Spyro...Cynder will get over this, but only if YOU can." He barks sternly but with compassion in his words. "In a way this explosion is a blessing in disguise. If you help the Portal Master, just maybe, you can put this whole ordeal behind you BOTH."

"I want to believe that. I really do. But..." Spyro pauses and looks up at his friend. "..I made her cry."

"She was crying for YOU, Spyro. The way you must have felt there all alone...shunned by the one you were helping. How you were almost in tears telling her how ashamed you were of yourself." Ignitus grasp Spyro's snout gently, and raises his head to look him in the eye. "Even when you were saying all these things that she could not believe. I still saw it in her eyes...She loves you...She was upset for you. It made her sick to see you like that."

Spyro closes his eyes causing tears to fall from each one. He pauses again for a moment then slowly removes his muzzle from Ignitus' paw. Spyro looks down at the ground and shakes his head, but a small smirk crosses his features and he looks back up to his old friend.

"Not exactly how I wanted my first week of marriage to go." the purple dragon says, to bring back a little levity in the mood of the moment.

Ignitus pauses for a second hearing his old friend trying to break out of his depression. The blue dragon smiles and turns his head away.

"The week is not over yet." Ignitus barks sarcastically and quickly returns his wry smirk to Spyro.

His friend begins to laugh, and Ignitus' smirk becomes a pure smile of joy. He can hear his old friend in the laughter coming from Spyro.

Suddenly both dragons stop laughing abruptly. A powerful energy strike both of them as they feel a strong and familiar power appear in the Valley of Avalar. Spyro and Ignitus turn their heads towards the east waterfall and can see a portal start developing.

"Ignitus...go inside and keep Cynder there." The purple dragon barks with great concern. "I can sense what ever is coming through that portal is very powerful."

"Yes I can sense that too." The blue dragon retorts. Ignitus turns to his former protege, and grasps his shoulder. "You may need my help."

Spyro just looks reassuringly into Ignitus' eyes...then turns his attention toward the danger.

"Please, my friend...just do this for me." Spyro asks with a smile and his former mentor can see the resolve in Spyro's eye.

"Very well, young dragon..." Ignitus replies and begins walking into the cave. "...I will be here you need me!"

Knowing his friend will stay behind and watch over his love, Spyro bolts off towards the portal at break neck speed, covering the distance in just seconds. The purple dragon plants his feet and springs toward his foe like a ram defending it's turf. The impact is so hard it drives the oversized grublin back through the portal it came from.

Spyro rolls on the ground, like a gymnast, and pops back up on all fours looking towards the portal. He can only see swirls of energy and light, and has no clue what is on the other side, or where for that matter, but he cares not. As long as Cynder is not there, it wouldn't matter if the portal transported him to hell itself.

Spyro strides quickly toward this spacial rift to take the fight away from his home. However, on the other side, The remaining 2 grublins saw their buddy come flying back through the portal and slam into a burning structure behind, but that is not all they see.

The beasts run over to the portal for a look, and can see everything on the opposite side...a huge advantage for these evil creatures. They watch and wait as Spyro gets closer to the portal, ready to strike the unsuspecting dragon.

Just as Spyro lifts his paw to step through the portal, the two grublins reach though the clear swirls of energy grabbing one of Spyro's horns each. The purple dragon is stunned for a second as he feels his head pulled down toward the ground.

Suddenly, in front of him, two legs come through the portal up towards his face. The impact surprises Spyro, and he is hurled backward slamming into a tree behind him.

Spyro yelps in pain and slides down the tree trunk to the ground, landing on his feet. The young dragon raises on his hind legs stretching his back out, and notices the two grublins now standing before the portal in front of him.

Blood begins to trickle from Spyro's nostrils, and he raises his paw to wipe his snout. Anger fills his features as he looks at the crimson color of his own blood smeared on his right paw. Spyro clinches his fist and stares at the 2 creatures before him.

"You're going to pay for that sucker punch." He barks angrily.

In a flash of purple and gold, Spyro flings his body at the grublins. He levels the one on the left with a devastating punch from his blood covered right paw. Spyro then plants his left rear paw on the ground and spins his body, flicking his tail at the other, slamming him in the face with the rock hard gold scale on it's tip.

Both demons, no match for the purple dragon's speed or power, are hurled across the valley floor. Spyro stands up on his hind legs, in front of the portal where the demons once were. He Spreads his wings revealing their massive span, opens his mouth wide, and unleashes HELL.

The Valley lights up from the inferno that Spyro blasts, as if the mid day Sun was shinning high. Both demons are incinerated where they stand, falling to the ground as ash, and blowing away with the wind.

Spyro glances at the portal next to him with a wry smirk. He can tell the one he initially sent back, was not one of the demons he just destroyed. The young dragon knows...there is a third.

Spyro reaches into the portal with his right paw.

Back in the burning village, the third grublin is just getting back to his feet and walking over to the portal to get a closer look at what his friends are doing to the dragon that rammed him.

However, the grublin is stupefied, as Spyro's paw reaches into the portal. Unskilled, like his friends, the demon freezes and the grayish white talons of his paw find their way around the grublin's throat.

As the demon is pulled into the portal, A massive foot comes down in the foreground of the burnt out village.

It is HUGE, and what ever it's attached begins to head for the portal.

Spyro yanks the third grublin back into the Valley of Avalar and tosses him to the burnt patch of ground were his buddies met their fate. The purple dragon gazes at his foe with malice intent. The blood from his nose has flowed into his mouth covering his sharp exposed teeth.

"So...You want to go after me and my family" Spyro snarls

He brings his paws up to his open mouth, pulling from his muzzle a ball of ice. The grublin, terrified by Spyro's power, turns to run away as fast as he can, but Spyro won't let that happen.

He whips the ball ice, striking the evil creature in the back before he could finish his first step. Yelps of pain and the sounds of ice crackling in the humidity fill the air, as the grublin freezes solid in seconds. Spyro stares at the frozen creature for a moment, then fires a small stone projectile from his mouth. The grublin shatters upon impact, and Spyro slowly retracts his wings.

The purple dragon again looks at the portal to his left and begins to relax as it starts to shrink in size. Spyro turns towards his home and takes a deep breath.

With no warning, a large arm...nearly the size of Spyro himself...comes through the shrinking portal. It grabs the purple dragon by the throat and squeezes tightly. Spyro reaches up frantically to pull the hand from his neck, and quickly begins to panic as he realizes he can not budge it. Spyro looks over in horror as the portal now starts to get larger...very large. Soon there after, a massive foot and leg emerge.

Back inside the cave, Cynder & Ignitus still wait out the fight. The young wife of Spyro continually pacing back and forth with nerves as she can hear and FEEL her husband battling outside.

"I can't believe were just standing here while my husband is fighting for his life." She yelps with outrage

"Spyro can not fight at his full potential if he has to worry about you." Ignitus replies. He grasps Cynder's leg as she walks by holding the young dragoness put, then stands up and embraces her tightly. "He will be fine, Cynder but it is best if he handle this alone. You will just get in his..."

Ignitus stops talking abruptly. He can sense the new threat, and that his friend is now in serious jeopardy. The blue dragon releases his embrace and quickly heads for the cave entrance.

"By the ancestors...WHAT IS THAT!" He yelps with fear seeing a fifty foot giant holding his friend in the air by his neck.

Spyro can see over the tree line to his home, and notices his wife as she reaches the mouth of the cave. He can see she is ready to charge, but Ignitus holds her put.

The Giant turns Spyro away from his home to face him

"Well...well...well...if it isn't the purple dragon!" He barks in his face "I've been looking for you!"

Spyro becomes restless knowing this giant is here for him, and judging by his first impression...this guy is not here for a friendly visit.

The purple dragon's color begins to show the strain of the giant's choke hold as his face begins to fill with blood. Spyro desperately tries again to pull the hand from his throat, but the giant squeezes his grip tighter. The young dragon's paws fall limp to his side, and his eyes begin to roll back into his head.

"NO." the giant yelps as he loosens his grip slightly. "Not yet!"

He drops Spyro, who falls to the ground like a stone landing in the muddy foot print of his massive foe. The purple dragon's muzzle splashes into the standing water that accumulated in the giant's deep impression.

Slowly the large creature lowers his foot down across Spyro's back, pressing his snout and chest down into the soft mud. The thick wet sand is forced into his mouth & nose, and around his body as the giant presses him harder into the ground.

Muffled sounds of pain come from under his massive foot, as Spyro tries to pull himself from under the Giant's crushing force, but with only wet grass and mud for traction, it is useless.

"Awe you poor thing!" The giant exclaims as the dragon's struggling begins to slow down.

Unbelievably, Spyro's overwhelming opponent picks his foot up, and yanks his face out of the mud. The purple dragon tries to gasp for air, but his mouth and nostrils are packed with the mud that the giant just pulled his face out of.

"NEED SOME AIR DRAGON?" He bellows with laughter

Knowing he has the upper hand in the fight, the giant actually allows Spyro a moment to get up. The young dragon spits and coughs several times to clear his throat and nose so he can finally take a breath. His upper body is covered mud, but also blood now from a deep laceration across his chest as well.

When he does get to his feet, Spyro is completely lightheaded and lethargic in his movements.

"Come on little fella...catch your breath." The giant taunts. "Show me your not this easy."

Spyro takes a breath, and can feel the life giving oxygen flow back into his body. He takes another painfully deep breath to fill his sore lungs to capacity. However, as he fills his chest with the air he needs, the Giant swings his huge fist into Spyro's gold chest plate.

All the air he pulled in is expelled immediately and Spyro falls flat on his back. The pain is excruciating, but with no air in his lungs he can't even yelp with the agony he feels.

The Giant creature reaches down, and puts his hand over Spyro's muzzle...smothering him.

The purple dragon desperately tries to pull the hand from his face, to get back the oxygen he just lost.

Spyro pulls the Giant's palm from one nostril for a fast gulp of air, but the giant quickly grasps his paw and forces it down against the dragon's body. With great force he begins to push his other hand down, and Spyro can feel himself once again pressed into the mud under him. His arms and lower torso are enveloped in the thick constricting mud.

Now, unable to even move and inch, the young dragon can feel it in his heart...this is the end.

The giant lowers his head down to the suffocating dragon's ear.

"I was asked to make you suffer. He creepily whisper. "How am I doing?"

Spyro shutters from the pain of suffocation, and his eyes start tearing up, knowing his wife is watching him die. His vision becomes blurry and his heart begins to slow down.

Cynder can see her husband's tail slowly stop flickering and fall to the ground limp. The dark dragoness knows, that is a sign that her husband is fading away. She freaks out, breaking free from Ignitus' strong grip, and runs to help her dying husband.

The Giant smiles as he can see the second dragon he is supposed to take care of...charging towards him. The giant removes his hand from Spyro's lifeless muzzle in time to grab Cynder. He picks her up around the stomach and holds her tightly forcing her to look down at her dead husband.

"To bad...he didn't make it!" The giant barks and Cynder breaks down seeing Spyro's lifeless purple eyes. The giant creature snaps Cynder up to his face and begins taunting her. "I'm sure he would enjoy watching this!"

The Dark Dragoness is hurled against the valley wall a hundred feet away. She yelps in extreme pain as her back slams into the rock surface, and falls to the ground unconscious. The evil giant turns his attention towards her to quickly finish his job.

However, Spyro was not fully gone, his eyes and ears see and hear his wife being assaulted, and a burst of adrenaline pulses through his heart.

A power that he has not felt in some time begins to course through his veins. His vision becomes crystal clear, his pain fades away to a distant memory, and quickly the purple dragon powers his body out of the mud.

The Giant creature can hear the disturbance behind, and turns to see what is going on. The shock on his face is apparent when his eyes lock upon Spyro.

Not only is he not dead, but he back on his feet. His reddish orange wings spread wide, and his gold chest plate pushed out with a FULL breath of air. Spyro's scales begin to get darker and darker until they are as black as the night sky. His eyes glowing white with no pupils.

The giant raise his right hand to crush Spyro, but the BLACK dragon is way to fast.

Spyro leaps up under the Giant's unsuspecting chin, and uncorks an upper-cut that lifts him off his feet. The entire valley shakes from the impact of the punch... and his return to the valley floor. Spyro leaps into the air, hoovering above his semi conscious foe, and lets out a ferocious yell to draw power.

The energy from the black & gold dragon gets brighter and brighter. From far away it looks as if a star just appeared in the night sky. He begins to spin like a twister...faster and faster. The energy around him swirling into a long cone shape, with a fine point.

Spyro rises above this energy vortex he has created, and stops spinning abruptly. He looks down at his foe, as the vortex below him continually spins faster.

"SUFFER THIS!" Spyro barks and dives full speed into the center of the energy spike driving it down at incredible speed into his would be killer's chest. The energy cuts through the Giant like a hot knife through butter, and slams into the bedrock beneath him.

Spyro stares his victim in the face, as he watches HIM gasp for air. From above a perfect circle is seen, glowing orange, in the middle of the Giant's chest.

Spyro slowly returns to his normal purple color, and somehow, is completely uninjured. He eagerly watches the large creature close its eyes for the last time.

He dare not drop his guard again, and makes sure it's dead before turning his attention to his wife. Spyro looks in the direction where Cynder was thrown. He can see Ignitus helping her up and can tell she is hurt. The purple dragon quickly rushes to his wife's aid

"Cynder are you OK!" He yelps with serious concern as he lands by her side.

The dark dragoness opens her eyes and stares at her husband for a moment. Her eyes well up with tears and she just hugs him...happy he is alive.

Spyro looks over at his friend while holding his wife tightly in his arms.

"Did you sense that power when he came through the portal?" Spyro asks

"Yes I did!" Ignitus replies quickly.

"I feel something is coming. Something BAD, Ignitus." The purple dragon yelps "I don't know what, but I'm afraid this is just the beginning."

Spyro holds his wife tighter knowing what he will say next is going to upset her.

"Let me know the minute you find the Portal Master, and I will be there."

Cynder breaks her hug with her husband and looks into his now stern expression.

"Spyro?" She whimpers softly

"I'm sorry baby...but I have to" He replies with a depressed voice "There was a power coming from that creature that was not natural. Someone or something is behind these attacks. I don't know who or why. I will be able to learn more up there."

Spyro looks up towards the stars in the sky where the portal station once sat.

"The Skylanders need my help. Regardless of my feelings towards the Portal Master. Find Gaven...then come get me."

Ignitus shakes his head approvingly and takes off into the night sky.

Cynder stares into her husband's purple eyes as he returns his attention to her. "Are you sure?" She asks him with sorrowful look

Spyro closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath.

"NO...but I have to do what I can to protect this world..." Spyro softly replies then returns a steady gaze into his wife's sparkling green eyes. "...and YOU."

"Finally..." The young dragoness bellow, as she hugs him again tighter then ever before. Cynder leans her muzzle against Spyro's neck and whispers into his ear. "...Now that...is the dragon I married."

Spyro lifts Cynder gently in his arms, and flies her back across the valley to their home.


	4. The Dark Dragon Returns

Chapter Four: The Dark Dragon Returns

In the outer reaches of the dragon realm sits an uninhabited planet that is completely covered with grassland, forests, and oceans. The pure green and blue sphere could be a perfect match to the Earth, if no one lived upon it that is.

Deep inside one of the many forests on the main continent, is a large round hill covered in grass and surrounded by a thick grove of dense foliage. Only a certain few know of the existence of this planet, and even fewer know what lays under that large hill.

It is an underground portal station. A secondary platform that is only used when the main station is under repair. However, with the destruction of the main Skylander Space station, this underground base has now become the temporary home of the Skylanders.

Inside the underground structure, the sounds of footsteps on the steel floor echo loudly through the hallway, as Spyro & Ignitus walk towards each other.

"It is good to see you again, my friend." Spyro bellows happy to see his old mentor again

"The feeling is mutual, young dragon!" Ignitus replies as they embrace in front of the large doors leading in to the main room.

"I knew you would find him." Spyro barks as he looks around at his surroundings. "I just can't believe you found this place in only 2 weeks."

"You want to know what I can't believe young dragon?" Ignitus replies with a questioning tone in his voice. The former fire guardian pulls his friend away from him and stares into his eyes as he answers his own question.

"YOU!"

Spyro is startled by his friends blunt statement "What do you mean by that?" The young dragon asks sheepishly.

"How the hell did you survive that battle...No...not just survive, but come out completely unscathed?" Ignitus retorts. "That was an unmerciful beating that giant gave you, and I saw the cut on your chest."

The blue dragon stares at Spyro's pristine gold chest plate. "Now look at you. Not even a scar."

The purple & gold dragon looks down with a deep concern on his features.

"You have to promise not to say word of this to the Portal Master" Spyro replies softly then looks back up to his friend "I can regenerate when I'm in my DARK state. I use the energy around me to heal my wounds."

"Regeneration!" Ignitus exclaims with wonderment. "That's remarkable...Why not tell Gaven? Does he even know of this power you possess?"

"Oh Yeah...He knows..." Answers Spyro with a great deal of sorrow in his voice. "...it was the week after I first became a Skylander."

Spyro closes his eyes recalling the moment he showed his true power.

"I used the Dark magic inside my body to defeat a powerful foe that no one had any success with. I figured I would be coming home to a hero's welcome." Spyro looks down at the ground in shame. "However, When I returned, I was forcefully removed from the platform and bound in chains."

"WHY?: Ignitus asks with complete shock.

"I could see it in their eyes. They were afraid of me." The young dragon replies with a note of sadness in his voice. "I didn't fight back. I just allowed them to take me away, to prove I was no danger. I spent hours alone in a dark cell...unable to move...restrained to the ground in chains. Later that day, I was told never to use these POWERS, or I would no longer be a Skylander!"

"But those powers are part of you, Spyro!" Ignitus remarks.

"They believe my DARK powers are pure evil." Spyro says with depression. "And a Skylander can never ever use evil."

Spyro begins walking towards the doors to the main room and Ignitus follows.

"I do understand their point though, young dragon." the Chronicler retorts. "Evil is not good...for anything."

Spyro stops abruptly and looks back at his friend angrily.

"Evil feeds off Good! It thrives on it." Spyro barks with more rage in his voice, and Ignitus is slightly startled at his friend reaction, but only more surprised at his friend's next statement. "I feel the only way to defeat evil...is with evil."

"That just doesn't make sense Spyro."

Spyro smirks at his former mentor.

"Sense...I was getting my ass kicked by that Giant. I was DEAD!" The young dragon looks down recalling the painful but poignant moment that he can not remove from his memory. "In a way, I'm glad Cynder did what she did.

Spyro returns his eyes to Ignitus filled with anger as he continues.

"I saw that thing grab my WIFE, and throw her away like garbage, and in the blink of an eye, I felt that rage...that power. It triggered a part of me I haven't felt in years. The power pulsing through my veins was invigorating. I didn't feel any pain, in fact, I couldn't feel anything."

"That is probably what concerns them." Ignitus replies.

"What?" Spyro asks

The old dragon lowers his head down eye to eye with his former student. "Feelings are important young dragon, most of all in a fight. If you can not feel YOUR pain...then how can you feel the pain of OTHERS, that are suffering."

"That may be true Ignitus" Spyro quickly retorts "but that Giant had no feeling for me or anyone else. Just anger and hatred. It was unstoppable...But he didn't stand a chance against me when I went DARK. And at that point, I didn't care about HIS feelings either. I just wanted him dead."

Spyro turns and walks toward the door again, and Ignitus shows a bit of anguish in his friends reply.

On the other side of the doors sit an almost identical replica of the portal platform that was destroyed. The only differences are the lighting and there is no raised platform.

Being under ground there are no windows. The light is supplied by a massive chandelier hanging 30 feet from the floor. Of course, a drab blue light is coming from it.

The doors open and Spyro walks in followed by Ignitus. They see Gaven sitting at his new desk directly in front of them. The Portal Master is surprised to see anyone come through that door. Especially Spyro.

"Stop right there!" he barks with concern.

The two dragons stop mid-stride. Spyro looks at his friend, knowing the last time he saw this guy it didn't go well, whispering under his breath

"Yeah...this was a great ide..."

Before he can finish his thought, a portal opens a few feet in front of both dragons.

A blue ball zips out of the swirling energy, leaving a strong wake of wind behind. The blue streak goes out the door they just came through fast. REALLY FAST.

The violent gust of wind from the blue blur catches Spyro's reddish-gold wings, opening them like a sail. The force pulls the purple dragon up on his hind legs, and he almost falls over backward.

"WHOA... What the..." The startled dragon yelps as he regains his balance.

Seconds later a small orange-colored fox with 2 spinning tails comes out of the same portal much slower. The young Fox floats over to Spyro and begins laughing.

"I guess you've never met Sonic before."

Ignitus looks down the long passage way behind them...noticing Sonic is no longer in site. Just a smoldering trail highlighting the path Sonic took down the hallway.

"Not many have!" The elder dragon barks with a chuckle.

Tails continues after his buddy and the door closes leaving Spyro & Ignitus alone in the vast room with the Portal Master.

As they walk closer, Gaven stands up, and starts to come out from behind his desk. Spyro slows his stride, for he has never seen the Portal Master leave his station.

The bandage around his right hand is quickly visible to Spyro, and the young dragon begins to fear retribution.

Gaven steps up to the two dragons and extends his burnt hand out towards Spyro, who quickly flinches.

"Please accept my apology Spyro..." He bellows and the young dragon is flabbergasted. This is the first time he has been spoken to by the Portal Master, and it is not what he was expecting "It was cruel for me to treat you in such a fashion. I was wrong, and you didn't deserve that. I was given an order that should never have been followed."

Gaven closes his eyes while lowering his head in shame. The Giant humanoid takes a deep breath to say the toughest words any man can say. "I have no excuse, and would completely understand if you refuse my apology..."

The Portal Master's eyes reopen directly into Spyro's gaze, and the purple dragon can see & hear his sincerity "...but I still need your help!"

"That is why I'm here."

There is no pause in the purple dragon's actions as Spyro reaches out, and gingerly takes the Portal Master's bandaged hand.

"And I apologize for this." The young dragon continues with a deep sorrow in his voice.

"No need for YOU to apologize, Spyro." Gaven replies with shame in his voice. "This hand has been a painful reminder of what a jerk I was to you!"

The purple dragon sighs a deep exhale of complete relief, as Gaven places his massive hand softly upon his neck.

Ignitus can see only the weight of Gaven's hand now rests upon Spyro's shoulders, and a large smile crosses his muzzle. He can tell the young dragon...he practically considers his son...is finally at peace.

The blue dragon then turns his attention to his long time friend. "Gaven! You still haven't told me who gave that order? We were rudely interrupted the last time I asked that question." Ignitus quips with a bit of sarcasm.

"Yes...and let's hope this place doesn't BLOW UP too..." The Portal Master retorts...then removes his hand from Spyro's relaxed neck...heading back to his seat. He looks back at Ignitus with a slight smile on his face. "..but your still not gonna get an answer."

The tension in the room is gone for a moment as the Portal Master sits back down. However, it comes right back when Spyro hears his next words.

"So...The BLACK Dragon has returned."

A concerned look sweeps over Spyro's face. "How did you know?

"Come on Spyro...I'm not stupid." Gaven barks staring into the young dragon's purple eyes "That giant killed you. I saw NO life force coming from you on my read outs...You were dead. Then suddenly you were not just ALIVE, but stronger than I've EVER seen you. There is only one explanation. YOU USED YOUR DARK POWER! You were given a DIRECT order never to use that power again, or you would no longer be a Skylander."

Spyro looks down as his anxiety reappears . He knows the next words from the Portal Master will probably be asking him to leave.

"I have but one question." Gaven bellows. "Can you call upon this power at any time?"

Spyro looks back up at the Portal Master puzzled, and pauses for a moment. He is not sure if he wants to answer that question truthfully. Spyro lowers his head again.

"Yes...I can!

The Portal Master stands up and glares down at the cowering dragon, and strange smile appears before he speaks.

"GOOD!"

Spyro & Ignitus stare at each other in amazement...not believing what he just said.

"I think I have the perfect job for you then. No assignment this time. Just a fight!" The Portal Master continues, as he taps a few buttons at his station. A portal opens directly behind Spyro, and Gaven glares at the purple dragon. Spyro can see rage begin to fill the Portal Master's features. "This creature has killed 3 of my best Skylanders. He is ruthless, and I want YOU to be just as ruthless! NO RULES!"

"You WANT me to use this power?" Spyro replies with shock.

"YES!" Gaven barks with anger. "I want this abomination dead."

The Portal Master lowers back down into his chair and reaches into one of the compartments of his desk.

"He is very powerful though. You must be careful. If you feel over matched..Retreat. Do not be foolish."

He tosses Spyro a wrist communicator. It has a small LED screen, and 3 small buttons...two red and one green.

"Just press the 2 red buttons at the same time, and a portal will bring you back, to this point, at any time."

"This is new. I've never seen this before." Spyro remarks while looking the device over. He places it on his wrist, and quickly the communicator wraps itself around his paw.

"Spyro since you've been gone, Someone has been hunting down Skylanders." Gaven tells the young dragon. "We have lost 5 good men in 6 months. This device is a way to get them out of harms way, before it's too late."

"Who wants the Skylanders dead?" Spyro asks with great concern.

"I don't know who is behind this, but I'm hoping you can find out something in there." Gaven replies while pointing at the portal. "Watch your back Spyro. The scanners can not detect anything in that realm, so I can not help you from here with information."

Spyro turns to the portal

"I understand, and I will find out what I can, and take care of this killer" The young dragon says with total confidence, then leaps into the swirling energy disk and disappears.

Gaven & Ignitus are left in the vast room alone, as the portal Spyro jumped through blinks out of site. The Chronicler turns to his friend of many life times, with a deep expression of anger. He would not question him in front of Spyro.

"I hope you know what you're doing." the blue dragon barks. "He has been out of the service for 6 months, and you just put him up against an assassin."

"YES!" Gaven retorts with no delay, a slight smirk upon his face. "I want to see that Power again."

"Well...I also don't agree with using his DARK power." Ignitus yelps with continued attitude.

"Really?" Gaven replies with some surprise "You...have a problem with that Ignitus?"

"It's not safe." Ignitus barks

A completely baffled look falls over the Portal Master's features, and asks with a great deal of puzzlement "Why do you say that?"

The blue dragon lowers his head with depression "Because, He was filled with that dark energy from the Well of Souls. It tainted the pure energy that pulses through him with its anger and hatred that has been brewing over the ages...It is EVIL."

"EVIL?" Gaven remarks with an attitude

"YES!...EVIL.." Ignitus barks and returns a stern gaze to his friend. "...and that is what Spyro is drawing his powers from."

The portal master slowly stands back up and looks down into Ignitus' angered eyes.

"Let me tell you this Ignitus. I don't know what happened in the Valley that night, but something in him snapped, and I felt a power I never knew existed. What ever it was. It was NOT evil."

Ignitus' gaze begins to ease as he can hear the resolve in Gaven's voice.

"He had no regard for himself, but only to protect others. That seems to be how he draws that power. To stop whatever is endangering the ones that he is protecting. It's not anger, or hatred. IT'S RAGE!...And I don't believe Spyro's rage is evil."

"I don't know." Ignitus replies then turns his attention to Gaven's bandaged hand. "He did burn you badly. He must have drawn on that power to do that kind of damage to you."

"Not even close." Gaven barks. "I'm lucky I didn't push his button. I was only mistreating HIM."

The Portal Master looks down at his sore appendage then returns his eyes to the dragon standing before him.

"If I had..." Gaven takes a deep breath realizing what kind of damage would have been done to him. "...I don't even want to think of that...I mean for heaven's sake. Didn't you see what he did? You were there."

"No I didn't see what he did." Ignitus replies softly, recalling the moment in his head. "I was tending to Cynder...I just saw a flash of brilliant light, and felt an incredible power, but I was not paying attention to the battle."

"It was amazing, My friend. I've never seen such a power unleashed. Spyro may be the one of the strongest beings in the universe." The Portal Master remarks with pride in his Skylander, but then his voice becomes uneasy. "We may need that power...now more than ever!"

Ignitus looks at his friend with curious concern.

"WHY?"

Gaven lowers his head down looking upon the large display screen at his desk. He can see a enormous power entering into the Dragon Realms. "The Dark Master is returning."

Ignitus' eyes pop open with a genuine confusion. He can not believe what he just heard

"But Malefor was killed...how can he be returning?" Ignitus asks with shock

The Portal Master is a bit befuddled, as he looks at his misinformed friend.

"Malefor?" Gaven retorts. "He was not the Dark Master. That dragon was only working with him. The Dark Master has not been in this area for eons. Before your time even, old friend. But he is coming now. His presence is getting closer and closer, and he is using these creatures for his bidding."

"You must inform Spyro!" Ignitus yelps.

"When he returns. I will." Gaven replies.

The chronicler stares at his old friend with anger, knowing his friend knew who is behind the attack, and is only using Spyro to try and defeat a deadly enemy.

"If he returns." The blue dragon barks. " Remember what you just sent him up against."

A smile crosses the Portal Master's features hearing the worry in Ignitus' voice. However, Gaven is not worried...not one bit. He has seen, first hand, Spyro's Power when he initially arrived. The day he was told never to use his dark energy again.

"I do not think Spyro will have much trouble. Not with that POWER."

"I hope your right" Ignitus remarks then lowers his head with a more serious thought in his head. "Do we know why the Dark Master is returning?"

"NO!...and that is the question I want an answer..."

An alarm on the control panel goes off, startling Gaven from his thought. The chronicler is also spooked...flashing back to the last time an alarm went off.

"NOT AGAIN?" Ignitus barks with fear.

However, The sound of a portal opening startles the both of them, and the Portal Master looks at his controls.

"Who is this" he bellows while looking down at his display screen. His eyes open wide and a deep fear fills his voice. "OH NO! It's Spyro. He's coming back already. This could be bad."

The Portal Master presses a button to alert the medial bay, and yells his command that echo throughout the station's PA system. "Get the medical bay ready. Code white...repeat Code White."

The light, from the chandelier, begins to turn bright white, as he portal starts flashing with the return of someone or something. Two members of the medical staff come running into the room just as Spyro limps through the swirl of energy...collapsing to the ground.

Because of the brightness in the room now, it is quite easy for all to see how badly Spyro is hurt. His left arm is visibly broken, and a deep laceration above his right eye is forcing him to squint.

Spyro is also covered in whip marks, and a thin blood soaked strap is wrapped tightly around his neck making him gasp.

However, as the young dragon turns his head, all four in the room can see he is gagging on something clutched in his mouth...that is not fully visible. Spyro begins to move around as the medics walk toward him, and he puts his good paw up to gesture them back.

A bright glow starts to surround Spyro, and quickly his scales turns black. The dark dragon begins to stand up slowly on his 3 good legs...then stretches his broken leg out to the ground. A slight wince crosses his muzzle when it cracks, then places it on the ground flexing it around.

His right eye opens full as the scar above it disappears, and all the whip marks on his body close and heal instantly. As the last of his injuries heal...the dark dragon's returns to his normal purple color.

Spyro unwinds the strap around his neck which seems to connect to the object still in his mouth, and spits it out for all to see.

Everyone...including the powerful Portal Master himself..is shocked at what they see. It is a hand with a whip clutched in its grasp.

The purple dragon uses his now fully healed left arm to wipe his victim's blood from his face, and spits several times to remove the remnants.

Spyro looks at the stunned observers in the room, and smiles through the horrible taste in his mouth.

"I thought you said this guy was tough. I didn't even have to use my power till I got back."

He barks with arrogance turning towards the door that Sonic the Hedgehog sped through moments before.

Spyro walks towards the exit with a bit of a swagger in his step, but stops and turns to the group in front of him. His smile gets larger seeing their jaws still on the ground from what they just saw.

"I guess the debriefing room is this way..." He remarks, then turns back towards the door, and starts walking away not waiting for answer from the stunned crowd. "I can just follow these scorch marks on the ground. Maybe I'll get a chance to meet this Sonic guy. Tell him he needs to slow down a bit, or he's gonna get knocked on HIS butt."

The door closes as Spyro walks out laughing, and the Portal Master looks over at Ignitus. A huge smirk begins to fill his features, as his tells his friend with a great deal of confidence.

"Now that is POWER. We just might have a chance old friend."


	5. A Timely Mission

Chapter 5 A Timely Mission

In the private chambers that Gaven uses to dine with his elite warriors, come the sounds of joyful banter. Countless echos of laughter come from the only two creatures in the vast room, Spyro & his new friend Gaven.

The purple and gold dragon is still wearing his new armor, a gift bestowed upon him by Gaven. A special award given to a very select group of Skylanders. Those that achieve the rank of General. The two swap humor-filled stories of a better visit this time around for the purple hero of Avalar.

A server brings a small feast, laying it before the two chatterboxes, removing the silver cover, and exposing the many choices.

Spyro immediately grabs a gigantic steak with his teeth, pulling it across the table to his plate. The hungry dragon holds it down with the talons of his left paw and rips a large chunk off. As the piece of meat breaks free...Spyro's heads snaps back violently. The chunk of flesh smacks the mid-sized dragon across the side of his muzzle making a very unappealing noise.

Spyro looks up at his friend as he pushes his plate away.

"OK... I'm not hungry anymore..." Gaven grunts with disgust,

Spyro swings the piece of meat up and into his jaws.

"THORRY." He yelps with his overstuffed mouth.

The purple dragon purposely chews his food loud then swallows the whole chunk. Spyro looks at the queasy Portal Master with a wry smirk.

"I'm a dragon...I don't use forks and knives."

Suddenly, and with an even more smug grin, Spyro lowers his muzzle down for another bite. This time being more civil, the young dragon uses his powerful jaws to cut clean through his food, not ripping it apart like a savage animal. He sits back up right, and chews his food easily with his mouth closed.

Gaven can tell Spyro is trying to get even further under his skin as the taunting dragon picks up a napkin, dabbing the corners of mouth in a very mocking fashion. However, he can not help but to laugh inside at his new friend. They have been going at each other with gags and jokes since Spyro returned, and this is just another in a long line of back and forth jabs.

"I hope you're enjoying that!" Gaven barks sarcastically.

The purple dragon smiles staring at all the food in front of the both of them.

"And it looks like I will be enjoying a lot more too!" Spyro retorts with pure pride in his moment of juvenile victory.

The young dragon lowers down, once again, and aggressively tares a large chunk from his steak.

Gaven suddenly smiles as Spyro tries to chew the oversize amount of food he put in his mouth.

"I wonder...Does that taste better than an assassin's hand?" Gaven bellows, and Spyro quickly spits out the piece of meat in his mouth, then violently gags.

"Come on man..." The young dragon barks as he begins to feel nauseous, remembering the taste of the rancid hand of the Dark Master's assassin "...You know I couldn't get that disgusting taste out of my mouth for weeks, and I still think I have hair stuck in my teeth."

Gaven starts chuckling as Spyro pushes his plate away and gets down off the high stool built for a dragon to eat at a table.

The purple dragon quickly walks away, trying not to upset his friend with his choking noises.

As he watches the young dragon fruitlessly try to spit hair out of his mouth and wipe his tongue off with his paw, something Spyro did for weeks after his fight with the whip wielding assassin, Gaven snickers again. The Portal Master happily fills his plate with food, and enjoys 'his' little victory, however, after finishing his first mouthful, Gaven looks at his new friend who is, for some reason, smiling again.

He becomes quite upset with his manors during Spyro's first four-year stint .

_"That stupid order my brother gave..."_ He mutters to himself. _"...Don't talk to him!"_

The Portal Master once again loses his appetite, and pushes his plate away.

_"Ignitus was right...he is a very special dragon, and I should have found that out a long time ago."_

"I am so very sorry...Spyro.." Gaven quietly remarks, looking down.

The purple dragon returns a startled gaze to his friend, thinking he is apologizing for a good joke, until Gaven opens his eyes. Spyro can see _real_ sorrow.

"...What a waste of time your first trip was!..." He says recalling a time in the young Skylander's life that must have left one hell of a bitter taste in the young dragon's mouth, far worse than any assassin's hand.

"I am honored that you came back, and have fought these last three months without reminding me once...of what a jerk I was.." Gaven remarks with seriousness, but then a smile slowly crosses his features. "...and I must admit to you...this has been the most fun I've had in centuries."

Spyro wells up with pride, but at the same time there is a deep yearning inside the young dragon. A depression in his heart for losing another chunk of time with the love of his life, not to mention the fact they only wed two weeks before he left.

That depression finds its way to his response.

"I would say the same, but I still don't want to be here." Spyro replies as he hoists himself back upon his dragon's stool. "I barely spent anytime with my wife, waiting for Ignitus to return...and now I'm gone for three more months again."

Gaven lowers his head, giving a deep sigh, and the purple dragon realizes he's making his friend feel bad. Spyro's voice softens with a more gentle tone as a smile returns to his face, knowing he is going home tomorrow.

"However...you are right, Gaven..." He remarks, raising the old giant's head and his spirits seeing a big smile on Spyro's muzzle. "...it has been more enjoyable this time around, and I will miss our conversations."

The hero of Avalar has had a much better tour with the Skylanders this time around, and has led many fierce battles against the Dark Master's minions. His incredible strength and skills have held the powerful master of evil at bay. So much so, that not a single attack has been made by him in the past month.

Both Portal Master and the newly promoted General stare at each other with grateful smiles.

"As will I, Friend...As will I!" Gaven remarks, staring at the stoic dragon in is blue & white armor, the Skylander colors of his home world Avalar. The Portal Master recalls the mission that Spyro accomplished to gain him such a grand promotion.

"I can't believe how fast you took down that fortress." Gaven barks with pride "The Dark Master had nowhere to go, but back to his hell where he came from!"

"Yeah...they were not expecting us to attack their base, I'm sure! But I figured it was the fastest way to end this!" Spyro replies with a smugness in his voice, but then lowers his head feeling a little guilty. "I kind feel bad though..."

Spyro looks up at his friend with deep regret.

"I put everyone in jeopardy, and got a promotion for destroying my enemy, Gaven." The young General somberly tells his superior, and lowers his head with guilt. "I only did that so I could get home quicker...so I could get back to Cynder!"

Gaven suddenly becomes quiet.

Spyro raises his head after a few seconds to see why his friend has become silent...wondering if Gaven is angry at him for such a selfish act. However, a look of anxiousness is on the Portal Master's face, and Spyro is a bit befuddled.

'What is it, Gaven?" The purple dragon asks, and Gaven becomes even more anxious. He fumbles his words trying to keep a rather big secret from his friend, knowing just how enraged he might become.

"About...going home...ahhh...I need to tell you...something!"

"I'M NOT STAYING!" Spyro barks as he now stands with his front paws on the table with an angry stare, and quickly Gaven answer that question with no falter in his words.

"NO... NO...Spyro you ARE going home tomorrow...I Promise!"

Then the stammering returns in his next sentence.

"It's...ummm...Cynder!" He yelps with nervousness, and Spyro's attitude flips from rage to fear in half-a-heartbeat.

"She's ahhh..." Gaven pauses thinking of how to phrase what he wants to say, and Spyro becomes more and more restless. The young husband is hanging on every word from Gaven's mouth, but now it appears to not be working.

"SHE'S WHAT?" The anxious dragon yelps with concern... "IS CYNDER OK?"

Before Gaven can answer his terrified friend. A voice comes over the intercom.

"Sir! You have an encrypted message from the Guardian"

Gaven's attention is quickly taken by a terrible thought...he rises from his chair and makes his way to the door.

Spyro still reeling from the cryptic way Gaven is talking about Cynder, follows his friend to the door...standing in front of it so he can not leave.

"WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY WIFE!" Spyro barks with anger.

Gaven lowers down on a knee, and places his hand upon the dragon's helmet. The Portal Master stares into his friend's eyes with a solid gaze.

"You will see when you get home, Spyro...Trust me, she is just fine, but I must find out about this message...General, Please!"

Hearing the seriousness in his voice and believing his word, Spyro moves out of the way allowing Gaven to walk out. The purple dragon follows his friend to find out what has spooked him so badly.

The old Portal Master & new General proceed down the hallway where 2 maintenance workers are buffing another burn mark off the floor. Gaven decides to make another joke to relieve the heightened tension between he and Spyro.

"I'm going to start charging that blue idiot every time he burns my floor."

Spyro laughs for a second but then looks up at his friend with curiosity . His voice becomes serious as he changes the subject from Cynder and Sonic.

"Who is the Guardian?" Spyro asks with puzzlement.

"He is my brother..." Gaven stops just before the door as it opens wide. Spyro halts along side and looks up as the Portal master's eyes focus upon him. The purple dragon can see an odd look of indecision in the gaze of his good friend, as Gaven continues

"He is also the one who ordered me not to talk to you the first time you came."

Spyro is in shock at what he just heard and wants an answer. The dragon rears up on his hind legs leaning his front paws on Gaven's side. As Spyro brings his purple eyes closer to Gaven, the Portal Master can see the anger filling them. "Why did he give you that order?"

"I wish I knew."

Gaven's eyes show Spyro the same outrage as he has no answer himself, and the young dragon can hear the conflict in his friend's voice.

The Portal Master begins walking to his desk and Spyro drops back down on four paws as Gaven moves off. The Purple Dragon slowly follows his friend inside, as Gaven sits at his desk. He reads the message his brother sent and loses his temper, startling Spyro

"NO...DAMN IT!" he yells "I needed him for this mission."

Spyro is quickly yanked out of his personal feelings. He can hear the tension in The Skylander Leader

"What's the matter.?" The purple dragon asks.

"My brother is the matter." Gaven barks while skimming through the rest of his message aloud. "It appears the idiot went to help a group of people who called on him...Even though I ordered him not to go anywhere TODAY. When he got there it was a trap... He took care of the problem and only now is he on his way back."

"So what's the big deal...That doesn't sound like a problem." Spyro sarcastically retorts.

"The problem is... He's not going to make it back to take care of a time sensitive issue." The Portal Master's voice is fairly agitated as he holds up an old brass key.

"I need this key placed in a lock at a certain time to open a portal that has been closed for 500 years." Gaven continues with more anger in his voice. "If he doesn't make it back it will be another 500 years before we can open it again. There is an incredibly strong dragon behind that door, and he is only going to get stronger as time passes. We dare not let it age another 500 years, or he could become too much for even my brother to handle."

Spyro looks down for a second to think, then blurts out exactly what Gaven was expecting to hear from the Purple Hero.

"What about me?" Spyro bluntly asks, and the Portal Master hastily snaps back his answer

"NO WAY!"

"I can use the key to open the portal, then get out of there fast." Spyro replies "Your brother can take care of him later."

Gaven becomes angry as he begins crunching numbers on his computer. "It doesn't work that way..." the Skylander Leader remarks. "If no one is there to stop him. He will go anywhere he wants, and that would be devastating."

Suddenly he slams his hand down on the steel desk in front of him, and Spyro jumps. "Damn him, He is not going to make it...He's going to miss it by an hour...500 years because of 1 hour."

"Let me go." Spyro says with total confidence in his words. His purple eyes never blink or break focus, and Gaven can see and hear his resolve. "I can hold out for one hour. Then send your brother to help."

"You won't last an hour with this foe!" Gaven sorrowfully retorts.

"You have no one else around to get there in time." Spyro barks back. "I have to go"

"Absolutely NOT!" Gaven denies and Spyro can once again see that look of anxiety return to his friend's face.

"WHY?" Spyro asks.

"I do not need to explain my orders to you General!" The portal Master replies with anger. His voice begins stammering as before "I will not...let yourself get killed...Not now."

"What is the difference between now and before." Spyro fires back, the young dragon places his front paws on Gaven's desk looking deep into his eyes. "I have laid my life on the line countless times in the past months, and that has never been an issue...Why all of a sudden now."

Gaven's voice falls off and becomes much more somber. "Because...I would not be able to look Cynder the eyes if anything happened to you."

Spyro smiles at his friend...hearing a genuine worry for his wife's emotional well-being, however, the purple hero knows his duty, and so does his wife.

"Cynder will understand." Spyro says with confidence . "She knows if I die, It was to protect her and the people I care..."

"CYNDER IS PREGNANT!" Gaven bellows, stopping his purple friend mid-sentence.

An uncomfortable silence fills the room as Spyro's jaw drops to the ground. He does a double take...then a triple take. The young dragon can not believe what he just heard, and remains speechless for several more moments...Then looks at his friend...angrily.

"Cynder is WHAT?" Spyro growls with a deep aggravated voice. "It's been 3 months...why am I just hearing this now...HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN?"

"Two months!" Gaven replies with an even softer voice that is barely audible, however his words hit Spyro like a resonating yell.

"TWO MONTHS!" the purple dragon yelps...his scales begin to pulse in a darker color, as if he is about to change to his dark state. "She told you...but not me...Damn Her!"

"Easy Spyro..." The Portal Master tells his friend to stop his rant "...it was not HER fault...Cynder contacted ME. She told me the news the day after she found out, and asked if you could come home."

The Portal Master see his friend's anger...focus on him. He looks down ashamed of what he has done to Spyro once more.

"I told her I still needed you here and begged her not to tell you. This is my fault, not hers, but I needed your head here...not thinking about what's going on at home."

The portal Master raises his head back up to look Spyro in the eye. "I'm sorry Spyro, but I had no choice. The Dark Master is COMING."

Another long silent pause fills the room. Gaven can hear the pounding of his heart, and the deep angered breaths coming from Spyro's flared nostrils. However after a moment, the rage in Spyro's eyes subsides and he lowers his head down and with an accepting tone in his voice, softly replies

"I understand!"

"You do!" Gaven blurts with shock.

Spyro looks up at his friend with a forced smile.

"Of course I do" Spyro says with confidence. "I know you needed my help!"

"You, sometimes, can completely amaze me, young dragon!" Gaven retorts with a smile, and looks at the control panel on his left.

However, when he returns his eyes forward...they are startled to see Spyro standing on his desk. The young dragon is directly in front of the Portal Master, throwing a punch. It is not violently thrown, but still sends a message.

Gaven is blasted back into his chair and he grasps his nose in pain.

"That is for making my wife** lie** to me this whole time." Spyro barks with an attitude.

"OK..." Gaven replies with a very nasally sound to his voice. "I deserved that."

As the uncomfortable silence returns to the room, the young dragon returns to the floor.

Spyro turns and stares at his friend with a deep feeling of disappointment.

"Open a communication link to my house, Gaven." The purple dragon barks at his superior. "I must speak with my wife."

"Yes...of course." The Portal Master responds hastily, and is even quicker with patching the call through. Gaven taps on the controls for the view screen, and it comes down along the far wall.

After a moment, Cynder's voice crackles through the speakers of the communications system.

"Spyro...is that you?"

Static is all that is visible, and it is at this moment, Spyro realizes why Cynder told him she accidentally broke the viewer. A clever way to hide her increase in size, but now all Spyro wants is to see his wife with child.

"Cynder...Can you please turn on the view screen!" He asks softly, and Spyro can hear his wife gasp in the background.

"I...I haven't had Mason out here to fix it..."

"I want to see you...Cynder!" Spyro says louder, cutting her off mid-excuse.

"I want to see...my **pregnant** wife!"

Dead silence fills the air for what seems like hours, then comes the sound of laboring paws shuffling on a stone floor.

The static filled screen before Spyro flickers as Cynder presses the button to turn the viewer on, She appears on the view screen, standing before the large communication system in the living room. Tears slowly trickle from the dark dragoness' green eyes, as she notices the expression on Spyro's face. He is seeing his wife's very pronounced belly for the first time.

His purple eyes show shock, but his features still show anger.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you Spyro. Please don't be mad at me!" Cynder cries.

He pauses for a moment looking down, but as he returns his head up to face his wife...a giant smile crosses his muzzle.

"Mad...How in the world could I be mad..." Spyro yelps with excitement, so much so that his tail starts wagging uncontrollably "I am the happiest dragon alive...Look at you...Your pregnant...I'm going to be a father."

Spyro stops talking with a quick smack in the face from reality and repeats his last line.

"I'm gonna be a...**Father**"

He gazes at Cynder with the most grateful eyes he has ever shown. "How can I possibly be mad at you for **that**!"

Cynder still lowers her head, even after a Spyro's reassuring words.

"I lied to you." She replies somberly. "I should have said something...I didn't want you to find out this way."

"I know you wanted to tell me, Cynder..." Spyro looks over at Gaven once again with anger in his face, and the Portal Master lowers his head with shame. The purple dragon returns his attention to his wife..the sneer he gave Gaven no longer shown. Only a genuine look of want.

"It was not your fault... somebody here wouldn't let you tell me..." Spyro lowers his head, knowing what he would have done if he found out earlier. He looks at Gaven with a bit of a grin, and then back to his wife. "...and...it was probably smart that he didn't ell me!"

Cynder finally shows Spyro her intoxicating smile, and the content dragon gazes at his pregnant wife for a while.

However, after his moment of pride, Spyro's tail stops wagging abruptly and his eyes become distant. The young dragon lowers his head with a selfish depression for his feelings of duty.

There is now an even BIGGER reason for him to go home, and not take such a risk with his life on a near impossible mission.

This time though, it is not a feeling of duty but more a primal instinct that is driving Spyro. The blood coursing through his veins is practically yelling at him to fight this creature. It is a massive threat to all he cares about, and the **one plus one** he loves.

"There's a problem Cynder!" Spyro quietly says, and the pregnant dragon's emotions flip like a coin, hearing the seriousness in his voice.

"What is the problem?' She asks with her own primal instinct...that of **fear**.

"I need your permission...to go on a very dangerous mission..." The purple dragon tells his wife without fear. "Gaven has forbidden me to go, and that is how I found out."

"I cannot let him do this Cynder." The Portal Master cuts in sternly, startling both dragons.

He walks over to the view screen himself, standing beside Spyro. "I promised you he would come home safe." Gaven looks down at his strongest Skylander warrior, and shakes his head. "Where he wants to go...I may not be able to keep that promise."

Cynder is visibly shaken by his comment, and Spyro turns to him with anger.

"Gaven...be quiet!" Spyro barks

"NO" The Portal Master retorts "I will not...I am still your superior, she is still a Skylander herself, and I want her to understand that you have no chance to defeat this creature."

Spyro gets angrier as he watches his wife's expression change from Gaven's notice. The purple dragon turns his eyes up to his giant friend.

"I DON'T HAVE TO BEAT HIM!" Spyro growls.

The angry dragon pauses for a second then he returns his attention to his wife. His voice is less harsh and more comforting to her.

"I don't have to defeat him, honey. I only have to delay him."

"For an **hour**!" Gaven retorts again, and Spyro snaps.

"WILL YOU SHUT THE FFFFFF..." The purple dragon hollers as he jumps his front paws up on to the Portal Master's chest.

However, he quickly calms himself, seeing the upset look in Gaven's eyes, knowing he is only doing this to help him.

Spyro lowers down to the ground, and looks at his wife. He can tell Cynder is going to say no.

"Gaven" Spyro remarks sternly, while looking directly at his wife. "Is there anyone else who could get here in time?"

The Portal master lowers his head, knowing where the smart dragon is leading him.

"NO!" He bellows with disgust

Spyro continues to stare into Cynder's deep green eyes.

"And what would happen if no one was there, Master Gaven!" He barks with a more aggressive tone.

Gaven says nothing

After a moment without an answer, Spyro turns his head to his friend and commanding officer.

"WELL, Sir..." The purple & gold dragon barks sarcastically "As a Skylander...shouldn't she know!"

Gaven sighs deeply...and looks at the pure resolve in Spyro's eyes.

"And so should you Spyro..." The Portal Master replies with a quiet but solid tone, and the young dragon becomes puzzled.

"...He would remain there, getting much stronger, for another five-hundred years...MAYBE!"

"Maybe..." Spyro asks with curiosity "...What does that mean Gaven?"

"If he gets too strong...he would be able to break through the gate at any time!" Gaven exclaims, his voice uneasy and panicked

"We would not know he was loose until it is too late, and would destroy many worlds before we could catch up with him..."

Gaven then stares through the young dragon, sending a sense of seriousness in his next words.

"Considering the origins of this beast...The Dragon Realms would most likely be his first target...Avalar would be in grave danger!"

Spyro takes a deep breath and looks at his wife. He is now ready to disobey Cynder and go with or without permission.

However, the look in her reassuring eyes sends a chill down his spine. She knows he has to go, and nothing she can say will stop him, so better to give her unwavering support.

"You have my permission..." Cynder gasps with a great effort. The young dragoness tries to tell her husband something else, but becomes so choked up that the words do not come easy, though they are usually the easiest to say.

She does not want to cry in front of Spyro, but is helpless to stop the flow of tears, and not wanting him to see her so upset before a mission, Cynder reaches up and turns off the camera.

Spyro stares at the same blank screen he has looked at for the last two months when he has talk to her, and Cynder finaly gets the strength to say what she must.

"I love you!" He hears though her sobbing, believing deep in her heart it may be the last time she says this simple but important three word phrase.

Spyro begins crying as well, feeling the same emotion, and understanding how she couldn't say that to him face to face.

"I love you too!" He replies through his tears, but then settles himself.

He must comfort his wife with the strength of his words, so Spyro holds his emotion the best he can.

"I promise you Cynder...I will be home tomorrow." He says with great conviction. Spyro can hear her breathe a little easier, and smiles knowing that Cynder will be alright. The young dragon turns off his view screen and allows his emotion to return.

He holds his paw up to hide his tear covered face, then slowly composes himself.

Spyro wipes his eyes with the same paw as he returns it to the floor, and flips around to face Gaven.

"NOW...Give me the Key and let's do this."

"Very well!" The Portal Master replies and walks back to his station. He grasps an old key from his desk and tosses it to the young dragon.

"Remember Spyro my brother is an hour away...so pace yourself..." Gaven barks, while staring at his controls to open a portal.

Then he looks up at the purple dragon and with a stern tone, tells him "Please, Friend! Be careful...You are no match for this evil dragon's power!"

"Thanks for the confidence boost." Spyro replies with sarcasm. The young dragon smiles for a second, then lowers his head.

"I will not fail!" His voice becomes more stern and Spyro show his friend with the same look he has before every mission...that of confidence and strength.

**"I CAN NOT FAIL!"** Spyro yells with even more conviction in his words. "**Cynder and my Child** are depending on me!"

A swirl of energy begins forming before the purple dragon.

"You have 10 minutes to get that key there Spyro, DO NOT OPEN IT EARLY!" The Portal Master exclaims "Those extra seconds could be the difference between life and death. When my brother arrives...GET OUT OF THERE."

Spyro smiles once more at his friend to show he is understands and is calm.

"I **will** see you in an hour, my friend!" Spyro replies as he steps towards the portal.

"Wait!" Gaven barks, and the purple dragons stops one step from leaving, turning his attention back to his commander.

"No you won't..." The Portal Master remarks with a smile, and Spyro becomes puzzled.

"...tap the green button twice, on your communicator, then press both red buttons." Gaven says with a larger smile.

"I programmed it to open a portal...directly to your home..." Gaven pauses knowing it will be a while before his best fighter will be returning, and a look of pure gratitude befalls the great Skylander Portal Master. "Thank you Spyro, and again I am sorry...Give Cynder my best and God Speed!"

The purple dragon holds his head up with pride, and returns the same grateful gaze.

Even though his friend kept a very important secret from him, like his wife's pregnancy, Spyro still learned a great deal from his vast knowledge this time around.

He also made a new best friend.

"You don't need to apologize...I really did understand, and I am not angry with you!" Spyro replies, and turns to his friend with a reassuring smile. "Thank YOU Master Gaven...It's been a real experience, and a good one at that!"

Gaven bows his head with great respect & admiration as Spyro disappears into the portal.


	6. The Dragon of Hell's Gate

Chapter Six: The Dragon of Hell's Gate

In a deep confining cavern, lit up by countless fires that pulse from the ground, a small disk of energy forms. The right front paw of the fearless Skylander breaches the swirl of energy, and sets down upon the scorched rock of this hellish place.

Spyro immediately looks at his surroundings, and though many fires burns around him...it is still very hard to see because of the darkness. The purple dragon looks up to the sky, trying to determine where in the galaxy he has been sent, but he is startled, seeing no stars...no moon...just a vast black emptiness. However, the darkness works in his favor, as his eyes catch the gleam of a bright light further down the trench. It is the only thing apparent to the young dragon, with the exception of a whistling noise. Spyro has no clue where that is coming from, only that is annoying...and getting louder.

The young dragon begins heading in the direction of the bright light with a bit of haste.

"10 minutes to get somewhere...and I don't even know where that somewhere is!" Spyro yelps to himself. His wings begin flapping heavily to increase his speed, and the flying dragon starts blazing through the deep canyon towards the brightness in the distance.

"I thought he was going to place me in front of the damn lock..." Spyro barks louder and more angered. He can feel the seconds ticking away in his head, and is not sure he is going the right way. However, that is not what is bothering him.

It's the noise.

The whistling sound is now almost unbearable to the ears of the flying dragon, so much so, that he raises his front paws to cover them in flight.

It is at this moment Spyro realizes that he is heading the right way. From his vast experience through-out his life...he has come to know one universal truth.

_"If the path is getting harder to follow, then you must be heading in the right direction."_

Suddenly, all 5 of the purple dragon's senses are rocked to the core, as he rounds a sharp bend in the canyon.

His eyes befall a golden gate of blinding energy, so bright that it forces Spyro to the ground.

The feeling of a power that is not of this world begins creeping under the scales of the young dragon, and the bitter taste of adrenaline fills his mouth. The smell of sulfur and smoke, that was overwhelming when he arrived, is now blanketed behind a strong stench of death.

However, it is still the incredible piercing noise that is now consuming Spyro.

The young dragon places the key in his mouth, recovers his ears with his front paws, and slowly makes his way to the large ornate doorway. A giant lock with a massive ruby in the center, holds this gate shut tight. The red gem stone has a small hole in its center, and is not quite lined up with the keyhole of the lock. It is this Ruby that keeps the door from being open for 500 years. Only when the stone and lock line up perfectly can the key be placed and turned. Spyro watches intently as the ruby clicks over one notch. He removes his paw from his ear and grabs the key dangling from his jaw, however he is overwhelmed by the noise again...which has now become much louder.

The purple dragon collapses to his knees from the pain of the piercing whistle. Flashes of bright light fill his eyes with the intense white noise.

Spyro desperately slides the key into the gem, but it will not go into the lock yet...It is still not lined up.

"NO!" Spyro barks with pain. "I can't...take this...much longer!"

The young dragon releases the key and covers his ears again...trying to stop the noise from pouring in, but at this point it is no use.

The sound echos in the canyon, penetrating his paws, and pulsing in his head. Spyro falls to his stomach, unable to move from the paralyzing noise. His head constantly spinning from the resonating pulses of sound.

After several pain-filled moments, the Ruby lock clicks into place, and the whistling intensifies once more. The ground begins to shake from the reverberation of the noise in its most powerful form. A deterrent to keep anyone from opening this gateway.

Spyro shutters from the tip of his snout down to the gold scale on his tail. The incredible noise is almost inaudible from being so loud, but the pulsing in his head has gotten worse. The purple dragon begins to fade out of consciousness, but his eyes focus at the last moment on the key still sticking from the gem encrusted lock. Spyro can see he must get to it now.

The young dragon uncovers his ears, and starts slowly pulling himself up the gate to the lock, and though it is only 3 feet above him, it seems miles away.

Spyro struggles to lift his weight, continually hoisting himself higher, but it is a fight to resist collapsing from the intense sound. The purple dragon knows he can not stop and that his time is running out, but his grip begins to fail and his paws start slipping. He knows if he falls now, he will not make it back up before the ruby dias moves, and 500 more years of waiting.

The purple dragon digs his talons into the gold bars of the large gate.

"Please..." He yelps out-loud, and reaches up with the last bit of strength he has.

His right paw grasps the brass key...slamming it into place, and Spyro turns it as he falls to the ground unconscious.

The young dragon lays motionless before the large gate, but is suddenly awoken by the odd feeling of his strength quickly returning to his body.

Spyro opens his eyes with relief, noticing the intense noise has mercifully stopped.

The young dragon slowly turns his heads to the doorway, and a bit of puzzlement befalls him.

The gate is still closed.

"Oh no...Why is nothing happening? Was I too late in turning the key." Spyro barks with fear. The young dragon stands up easily and stares at the lock.

"It looks like it's turned..." Spyro says to himself, while scratching his head between his horns. "What the hell..."

The purple dragon is quickly taken from his thought as the sound of large mechanical devices spring into action. The Large Ruby turns counter-clockwise and begins recessing into the lock.

A smile begins to highlight Spyro's muzzle, hearing the gate come to life...However, that smile is short-lived. The young General is caught completely off guard as the doors swing out violently.

Spyro leaps away, but is still impacted by the massive gate as it springs open. He is catapulted backward into the air, flipping head over tail several times before slamming to the ground on his gold chest.

Spyro rubs his gut and muzzle from the pain of being hit by the gate...then the ground. The young dragon shakes his head trying to wake-up his sense. His purple eyes finally pull back into focus as he turns his attention back to the gate, and a genuine look of fear befalls the young dragon.

3 giant black talons attached to a massive dragon's paw, sit directly in front of his face. Spyro hops up to his feet and slowly begins to back-pedal.

The small hero, his eyes filled with horror, gaze up the massive front leg of the creature before him.

"By The Ancestors!" Spyro barks with pure shock.

The young General has seen many dragons since he defeated Malefor over 5 years ago, and thus far, none have come close to the 1st purple dragon's immensity. However, Spyro now looks up at a dragon the size of which he has never seen...easily 10 times larger than Malefor.

An enormous black dragon with a dark red chest and wings now stands before him. The massive 40 foot creature, lowers his head down to the small dragon, and a slight smile crosses his muzzle.

Spyro readies himself to run at a moments notice...seeing the sheer size of this beast, The purple dragon fully realizes now that Gaven was right...he doesn't stand a chance against this foe head to head.

_"What in the name of the Ancestor's have you gotten yourself into now Spyro..." _ He thinks, watching the dragon turn his attention down to him.

The large beast's red eyes burn through the young General as he lowers his head further, almost nose to nose with Spyro. His narrow black muzzle opens showing the massive teeth that line his jaw, and Spyro freezes with the pure fear of being dinner.

However, the purple dragon is shocked when a voice bellows from the open mouth before him.

"Thank You for releasing me!" The massive dragon barks, and Spyro is completely baffled. The large beast pulls his head back up and checks his surroundings. A look of relief fills his giant face, and he returns his attention to the small purple dragon standing before him.

"It is a great day, little dragon...Finally my return is at hand!" He bellows proudly to the young hero, and Spyro just continues to stare at him with awe. "I will have my revenge upon the Guardians of Avalar and all that stand in my way...Including that backstabbing bastard...Malefor!"

The large dragon turns his head down to Spyro and suddenly it hits him. The little dragon standing before him is purple & gold...just like Malefor. The massive beast quickly becomes angered believing Spyro is a direct descendant of the one that had a hand in locking him away.

However, before the large creature can lift his huge paw to crush the purple & gold dragon...

"Malefor?" Spyro yelps...shocked this dragon thinks he is here to help...but also that he knows of Malefor. The young General quickly decides to let his 'new friend' in on the news.

"Malefor is dead!...I killed him several years ago!"

The large black & red dragon stops his paw from lifting up, and returns a stern gaze at Spyro. He lowers his head down again...this time much quicker, and the purple dragon holds his paws firm.

"You killed Malefor!" He barks in Spyro's face then turns his head slightly to stare the young dragon keenly with his left eye.

Spyro never flinches or misses a breath...a smug grin crosses his muzzle as he nods his head yes.

"Why?" The large dragon asks with puzzlement "You look like his descendant...why would I believe you killed him!"

The young General can see the intrigue fill the red eye that is staring at him, and a great idea fills his head as he thinks to himself

_"Why fight if you don't have to...you just need to stall...**PLAY ALONG**."_

Spyro sits on his hind quarters, and folds his forepaws in front of his gold chest as he leans back.

"He became very greedy with his power, and he was the one holding the key." Spyro replies, and a smile crosses his face. He can see the large dragon begin to lay down and listen to his rescuer.

The young hero begins using one of his best weapons in a battle...HIS MOUTH. "I don't know why I did it...but something inside drove me to kill him...then led me here!... "

The purple dragon tells a new tale of Malefor's destruction, leaving out many truths and specifics, like fighting alongside the Guardians of Avalar. A very smart omission if you ask me.

For nearly 15 minutes, Spyro uses his gift of gab, to keep the massive dragon occupied. However, a story can only be told for so long.

The black & red dragon returns to his feet and looks down at Spyro with a grateful smile.

"I applaud your tenacity and thank you once more for releasing me, but it is time to go, now." His deep voice beckons, and the tall creatures peers down the long trench in which Spyro initially came.

"Go where?" The young hero retorts...acting dumb.

"To Avalar...Where I will finally end the Guardian's reign, and retake my rule over the dragon race!" The large beast returns his attention to Spyro. "I could use a powerful whelpling such as yourself...with your help nothing would stand in MY way."

Spyro smiles at his new 'friend' and nonchalantly replies.

"I'm sorry...Master...but that is not going to happen!"

The large dragon is startled and stares at the much smaller Spyro.

"What do you mean by that?" He barks with anger.

Spyro drops down to his four paws and lowers his head.

I'm sorry...but I didn't come here to release you...so I could help you...!" He says softly, and the large dragon becomes confused. He can hear a bit of sadness in his rescuers voice.

The massive beast lowers his head down to Spyro.

"Why did you release me?" He asks.

Spyro smiles and returns a stern gaze to his foe who is now face to face with him again.

"So I could KILL you!"

Before the words can register in the large dragon's brain. Spyro rips his tail across the bridge of the black dragon's snout..then quickly leaps into the air.

The black & red dragon is startled by the impact across his nose, and with his weight leaning forward, the large dragon falls face first into the ground. on his chin grasping the bridge of his muzzle with both front paws.

While his foe is still stunned, Spyro opens his mouth and releases a barrage of ice missiles, lacing the red & black dragon from head to tail with sharp rock-hard projectiles of frozen water. Spyro continues to release thousands of these long icicles that slam against the scales of the his foe covering him with a thick blanket.

After a minute of constant ice flow, the young dragon ceases his magical breath, and hovers over the downed dragon...waiting for any response to his attack.

The is no sound for a few seconds, but Spyro does not relax. He is not going to let his guard down against this creature, like he did against that giant back on Avalar.

Suddenly, the sounds of cracking ice and ANGER, begin to fill the air. The red & black dragon easily breaks out of his icy tomb and stares at Spyro with rage in his eyes.

"HOW DARE YOU ATTACK ME, LITTLE DRAGON!" He yelps, then swats his left front paw at the hovering purple dragon.

Spyro alertly dodges the massive paw, and quickly takes off down the trench. The black dragon opens his enormous red wings and gives chase.

The young General swoops down, low to the ground, picking up more speed to get away. However, Spyro is stunned when he looks over his shoulder and notices the larger dragon is overtaking him quite easily. Spyro is stupefied..he thought he would definitely have the speed advantage, but that appears not to be the case.

The young dragon watches in horror as a plume of fire begins building up in the dragon's huge black muzzle. Spyro can feel the searing heat, and banks hard to the left as a massive blast of intense flame is shot down from sky above.

Spyro hits the side of the trench wall with his paws, and catapults himself down to the ground, avoiding another blast of insane heat. He runs across the ground to the far wall...then stops dead in his tracks once more as another plume of fire lands inches in front of him.

Under the cover of smoke and fire, The young General turns 180 degrees and takes off flying in the other direction. He looks behind and notices the large dragon may be fast but is certainly not agile as he makes a wide turn to follow.

A smile fills Spyro's face as he knows now what his new strategy is. A very dangerous game of 'Catch Me If You Can'

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in a distant place, the eyes of a very dark creature observe this fight with great anticipation. Watching this cat and mouse game through a portal, his sinister plan appears to be working perfectly<p>

"That's right...use all of your strength and magic!...Make it easier for me!" The voice bellows creepily. His pupils narrow like a hawk's, gazing at his target. "Soon, Spyro...I can almost taste it...I will once more control the power of the purple dragon."

His smile increasing as Spyro uses more and more energy, waiting for his most opportune time to strike.

* * *

><p>It has been nearly half an hour since Spyro dropped his bombshell of a lie, and his tail, on the large dragon. He has easily stayed out of the reach of his foe with his agility, however, the purple dragon is now showing signs of fatigue. Spyro has had to resort to magic attacks to block his opponents view, just to allow him extra time to get away.<p>

"I can't keep this up much longer." Spyro barks to himself. He can tell he is running very low on magic energy, and there is no chance of finding crystals, to regain his power, in this barren wasteland.

"Hurry...Guardian...Who ever you are!"

Spyro can feel the heat of his enemy on his tail again, but then it suddenly stops. He can hear the large dragon's wings thrust him away, and he turns to see him flying off.

"What the...!" Spyro barks, then notices a bright light in the distance. It is much like the glow he saw that led him to the gate, and that is the direction his enemy is now heading.

"OH NO!" He yelps.

The purple dragon takes off towards the light, realizing his foe may have just found the way out. Spyro flies as fast as he can, barely keeping up. He knows he has about 10 minutes before help arrives, but he now realizes he is out of time.

The young dragon must stall his foe anyway he can. However, catching him has now become a huge problem. The large dragon is much faster, and Spyro knows he has lost this fight with one quick mistake.

Desperate for any chance to continue this fight...the young dragon resorts to insulting his opponent.

"STOP..YOU COWARD!" Spyro yells and surprisingly the large dragon halts his flight.

The young General is startled as the massive black dragon looks back with anger...then lowers to the ground.

"Where do you think you're going?" Spyro barks with an attitude, as he lands between the massive dragon, and the lit area where the exit to the dragon realms awaits.

"I've grown tired of chasing you." The large dragon replies with no care to Spyro's aggressive posturing. "I have found the exit to this Hell, and I will be leaving now!"

"Why did you Stop then!" The purple dragon retorts with a bit of confusion.

A smile fills the dark features of the evil dragon, and he looks down at Spyro.

"You are a smug little whelpling...and I like that!" He replies arrogantly. "You have great power and the ability to use it well, but you do not posses the vast strength that I do...nonetheless, you could still prove to be a useful asset."

The black & red dragon looks over to the exit of this dark realm.

"So, I am giving you a choice...Live a life of royalty and be part of the new order..." The massive dragon barks, then returns his attention to Spyro. "...Or...I can crush you now...either way...I will be leaving this place..."

His black muzzle lowers down to Spyro and his eyes focus upon the young purple dragon.

"What is your answer?"

He watches Spyro's head lower in defeat, and his smile returns once more. He believes he has recruited a new apprentice.

However, Spyro did not lower his head in defeat, he is upset that he may have to lay his life down to stall for these last 10 minutes. A terrible choice for any expecting father, but if it will save his wife and unborn child, the young dragon will die willingly with no regrets.

"Very well!" Spyro answers somberly..then looks at his foe with a wry smirk.

He springs up with his hind legs and unloads a powerful uppercut into the giant dragon's exposed jaw. Spyro puts every ounce of his energy into the balled-up right paw he places precisely on the tip of his enemy's chin.

However, the proven warrior is rocked to his foundations, feeling the sting of his paw breaking on contact with the rock hard scales of this old dragon.

Spyro lands on the ground, and holds his busted right paw with his left. He looks up in terror to see the smile has never left his foe's face...nor did he move and inch.

Quickly, the purple dragon calls upon his earth skills, and blasts a solid granite boulder from his mouth. The stone slams into the same spot on the black dragon's muzzle and shatters...once again not phasing the evil creature in the least.

"Your elemental attacks are nothing...And your strength is pathetic!" The large dragon taunts, he raises his huge left front paw, and readies to strike. "I've changed my mind...You are not good enough to even serve me!"

He swats his massive paw down at Spyro, and alertly the young dragon leaps out-of-the-way.

Spyro rolls onto his stomach and uses all four legs to bound up at his foe once more. This time heading for a weaker spot...the softer scales of a dragon's chest plate. At the moment of impact...Spyro curls up and surrounds himself in a ball of rock.

The large dragon feels this powerful attack, and Spyro can hear the pain in his gasp. The General quickly drops to the ground and springs up again...slamming into the same spot.

However, Spyro realizes his huge mistake of using the same attack twice, as he drops down to the ground.

The large dragon moved his legs out the second time, allowing his huge body to follow Spyro down. The purple dragon is smothered into the hard rock floor under the incredible weight of the giant beast's red chest.

Spyro struggles to move, not budging an inch. The large dragon begins wriggling his chest into the ground, adding force and friction to Spyro's already stressed frame. The young dragon can feel his bones will begin to break under the incredible pressure if he doesn't do something. Spyro knows that he has no choice now, and begins building his last bit of energy up for one last elemental attack.

His electrical power...It is a devastating tool, however it spends magic fast. He has not used it yet knowing he had to conserve his energy. However, The Skylander feels one hour is almost up...help should be here soon. He has paced himself well enough, but now being this close to losing this mission, it is time to empty the tank.

Spyro lights his body up like a plasma ball, unleashing the rest of his magic in one long intense blast of electricity

The large dragon jumps to his feet...shuttering from the pure voltage coursing through his body. Spyro is able to stagger from under the large creature, and tries to quickly attack while his foe is stunned.

The purple dragon has no magic left in his body, and must resort to physical attacks. So he leaps once again driving his shoulder into the same spot on his enemy's chest.

With the sound of a loud crack, and the blood curdling scream of pain, Spyro knows...The third time was a charm...he did damage.

The large black and red dragon rears up on his hind legs, and grasps the long scale that spans the width of his chest.

Spyro can see blood seeping from under his black paw, and a smile crosses his face.

_"Not so weak...am I_" He bellows to himself, but then suddenly he sees it, the weakness he has created in his foe. A large split in one of the plate scales on the black dragon's red chest.

Seeing this, Spyro plays his final Trump Card, His Dark Energy. However, he knows he must kill this giant dragon now or HE will die. Using this power, without any magic in his body, will drain him so badly that Spyro would be rendered useless to do anything, but seeing his opportunity to end the fight himself, the young hero feels an overwhelming desire to achieve a victory never though possible.

The large dragon lowers to the ground, after his bout with intense pain, and is quickly startled at the change of Spyro's appearance. He was fighting a purple dragon, and a sure descendant of Malefor...Now he is Black, and could be confused as young descendant of himself.

However, Spyro's tenacity is apparent, as the dark dragon charges once more. He leaps into the air and drills the giant beast's muzzle with a tremendous punch from his left. Unlike before, where he broke his right paw, this time the punch is felt more by his foe than himself. Spyro quickly spins his body and smacks the same spot on his enemy's face with a fierce whip of his tail.

The Large dragon becomes angered, raising his right front paw to swat Spyro away. The young, but smart, General sees his opportunity, and waits for his opponent to swing. With his great speed in this dark state, Spyro knows he can quickly avoid any attack from this large creature.

As the large dragon thrusts his paw forward to strike, Spyro jets straight down to the ground. In a flash, the black & gold dragon bounds off the hard surface up into the lowering dragon's chest. Spyro drops his head and thrusts his wings back...propelling himself into the broken plate once more.

With the momentum of his swatting motion, and the speed Spyro is moving, the large dragon is once again sent reeling. The massive beast stumbles backward from the intense pain, and the force of Spyro's impact. He lands on his back and falls over to his right side.

Spyro becomes worried seeing his foe is still alive...he can feel his time running out on the over use of his body, and quickly glides down to his right to finish the job. The dark dragon lines up his flight to slam him once again. Spyro thrusts his wings back and picks up speed while his opponent is still rendered immobile from his pain.

However, at the last second his power fades completely, Spyro's color returns and the purple dragon falls to the ground unable to move a muscle. He tumbles violently with his momentum, rolling to a stop on his belly, alongside his intended target.

Both dragons lay motionless for a moment...until Spyro starts jostling around, and immediately tries to get to his feet. The young General knows his fight is over and must get away from this massive foe before it can regain its senses, but he is weak, and unable to rise to his feet. The young dragon is forced to drag his body to safety.

However, before Spyro can scoot even a foot away, the large left front paw of his enemy comes crashing down upon his back. Spyro yelps in pain and can feel the immense pressure of the massive dragon's weight being applied to his body, as it stands back up right.

The 3 large talons squeeze together around his purple frame, and Spyro eyes are forced shut from the crushing pain. He can feel himself being lifted off the ground and the young dragon tries to desperately break free.

It is pointless...Spyro has barely the strength to breath.

"I am tired of playing games with you little whelpling!" The Massive dragon barks at his right paw. He raises his clenched fist, with Spyro inside, up in the air...ready to slam the helpless purple dragon to the ground.

"Let see if you can survive, THIS!"

Suddenly, A portal opens-up by the massive dragon's face, and a fist of pure energy comes through it.

The powerful punch impacts the black dragon, snapping his head to the right with incredible force.

Staggered from the punch the large dragon is forced to regain his balance. He opens his right paw and lowers his leg back to the ground.

Spyro falls from 50 feet, bouncing hard against the rock floor. The young dragon shutters in pain, but realizes that he may have succeeded in his mission as his eyes reopen. A smile fills the purple muzzle of Spyro...seeing help has arrived.

A creature made of pure energy...swirling with a multitude of color...stands between the giant dragon and the severely injured purple hero.

A giant in his own right, roughly the same size as Gaven, this 'energy man' is still much smaller then the massive dragon before him, but that is not apparent in his speech.

"If you want him...You will have to go through ME!"

The huge beast becomes irate, and charges his new foe.

Spyro watches in shock as this incredible new fighter grabs the surging dragon's head and snaps its neck in one deft move.

The large beast is dead before it's body hits the ground.

"Are you OK Spyro?" The creature of pure energy bellows, and the young dragon is startled. He is still in awe of the power he just witnessed, and now is shocked that this guy actually knows his name.

"YES!...I think so..." He responds with a bit of confusion and a lot of strain in his voice. Spyro struggles to his feet never taking his eyes from this possible new threat. "...thank you...but who are you, and how do you know me?"

"I am the Guardian of the Universe...My brother sent me here to help you!" He replies and a huge breath of relief is expelled by the purple dragon. Spyro collapses back to the ground with exhaustion, but looks up at his rescuer with a smile.

"You are Gaven's brother?" He ask a bit sheepishly. "You're not exactly what I was expecting!"

"Neither are you!" The Guardian replies with his own sarcasm. "I was expecting someone much bigger than yourself!"

Spyro frowns at his new friend's joke, and now hears the family resemblance

"I was surprised when my brother told me you volunteered to fight against the Dragon of Hell's Gate". He bellows with some shock in his voice.

"The Dragon of Hell's Gate" Spyro barks with a bit of anger. "That's funny...your brother never called it that!"

The young General struggles to his feet again, walking over to the Guardian and his victim. Spyro looks at the large dead beast..then back to the man made of swirling colors of energy.

"I must have weakened him for you!" Spyro says with a chuckle

The Guardian looks down at the large smile on Spyro's muzzle, and is compelled to chuckle along with him.

"I can not believe you survived this long against him, Spyro! You are a remarkable dragon as I've heard...However..." The Guardian gives Spyro a dumb look, and his voice becomes very sarcastic. "I must say that to face a beast you had no chance of beating...You are either really brave...or really stupid."

"I would say STUPID this time!" Spyro yelps without pause. The pain in his body pronounced in his words.

"Are you going to be alright, young Skylander?" The Guardian asks with concern. He quickly becomes serious hearing the hurt in Spyro's voice. "Do you need me to help you to the Portal Station for medical attention!"

"NO!" Spyro snaps with haste, and looks at his friend with a smile. He is not going back to the Portal Station, and knows he's just a few taps on his wrist communicator away from being back home with his pregnant wife. "I think the first-aid I will be receiving when I get home will be all that I need, my friend!"

Spyro looks down at his paw to the embedded controls of his Skylander communicator. He taps the green button twice then both red buttons as instructed, and a portal appears a few feet away. Spyro smiles seeing his home in the swirl of energy.

He starts limping to the portal, and the Guardian notices how bad the purple dragon is hurt.

"Do you need a hand through, Spyro?" He asks and once again the young dragon is quick to respond in the negative.

"No thank you...I think I can make it"

"Spyro...You are injured and your wife is pregnant." The energy creature pleads. "I should go with you. I will guard your home until you are well enough to do so on your own."

"Thank you for that incredible offer, but I will be fine." Spyro replies once again, and the energy creature becomes a bit distressed. However, Spyro stops just before the portal, then turns back to his savior.

"However, If you would like to come for dinner. I think a home cooked meal is the least I can do for the one who saved my life."

The Guardian smiles realizing Spyro is saying yes to his help, but in a different way. He follows the limping dragon through the portal.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back at the underground portal station, Gaven notices Spyro's energy reappear across the galaxy in his home. He has been following the fight from his station, and though he was never able to physically see the fight, he was able to track both dragon's energies.<p>

However, he also saw another large energy appear at the last moment, and was baffled by its presence. His brother had not returned to the station, so...

"How did he get there to help Spyro?" He asks himself. A deep fear fills his thoughts as the large power source follows Spyro to Avalar.

"Who is that?" Gaven asks himself again. "That can not be my brother!"

A thought that is immediately answered as the large door across from his desk opens wide, and two individuals he recognizes right away walk into the main room. A blue dragon that wears the amulet of TIME around his neck, and a giant man made of pure swirling energy. Ignitus & HIS BROTHER.

"OH MY GOD!" Gaven barks and begins working his controls faster than ever to open a portal. The swirl of energy begins to form as a loud alarm blares in the main room.

Both entrants to the room are startled by Gaven's response to their presence, and even more so by the piercing noise of the emergency beacon.

"What is going on!" The Guardian bellows seeing his brother working the controls of his station frantically. He speeds around to Gaven's desk and looks down at his monitor.

"Oh no!" They both say in unison, as they watch Spyro's life force...which was already dangerously low...drop to zero.

Gaven turns to his brother with shock on his face.

"I thought it was you brother!" He bellows, and The Guardian becomes confused, still not knowing what is going on.

"GAVEN!" The Energy man barks to startle his brother. "TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON!"

The Portal Master quickly snaps out of his shock, and looks his brother dead in the eyes.

"A powerful creature showed up during the fight, and KILLED the Dragon of Hell's Gate in a matter of seconds..." Gaven retorts, and his brother immediately knows the only one who could have done that other than himself. A fear begins to fill his heart, but that fear is amplified when Gaven continues. "...That energy is now in The Valley of Avalar, Brother!"

Ignitus quickly jumps into the portal the moment he hears his friend is in danger.

However, before the Guardian could step towards the portal himself, Gaven grabs him by the arm and stares at him with great concern.

"Spyro is either dead or he is not himself, so be careful!" Gaven barks. "Hurry...I know now who that is and what he may be trying to do!"

"So do I, Brother!" The energy creature replies. The Guardian of the Universe walks slowly to the swirl of energy remembering countless years at war with the Dark Master's first purple puppet. He turns and looks at his brother with a great sadness..his voice somber at the thought of war starting with the dragon realms once again.

"If he does succeed at taking him, brother! We will have a much more difficult time keeping Spyro at bay...then we did with Malefor!"


	7. Guess Who's Coming for Dinner

Chapter 7 Guess Who's Coming for Dinner?

A raging fire burns in the lowered pit area of Spyro & Cynder's home. A fire that has been burning for 3 months, or the length of time her husband has been away.

Cynder asked him to light it, and has kept it lit since the day he left. The young dragoness' way of having a piece of her husband at all times. His magic breath fills the room with a subtle light, but most of all, keeps his wife warm at night.

Now the pregnant dragoness just stares at this fire, crying, wondering about Spyro's well-being. An hour ago he told her he may be facing his death, and that has not left her mind.

Chills run down her spine thinking of a life without her purple hero. A life she knows only from her youth...a life she has tried so desperately to put behind her. Then the young dragoness looks down at her rounded stomach and rubs her belly with a gentle paw. Tears begin to flow again, as she is now crushed with the thought of her child growing up without a father. Her body quivers so badly with a cold depression, that even her husband's breath cannot warm her.

Cynder stares into the fire with her crystal green eyes...something she would never do, before she lived with Spyro. However, her husband loved to build fires, and would stare at them for hours.

Spyro, even being a purple dragon and in control of multiple elements, would always favor Fire. It intrigued the young dragon to watch the flames...as if the magic that came from his mouth had come to life in a dance of color and energy.

Cynder would lay beside her husband on occasion and watch the fire with him, not fully understanding why Spyro was taken by something so simple.

To her it was just a fire, nothing spectacular, but she would still enjoy the time beside him. Spyro would always be at his most relaxed state while watching the inferno.

However, one sleepless night, Cynder found out about her future husband's infatuation. She walked in to see Spyro, crying and talking to a raging fire, but did not disturb him.

_"I miss you friend!"_ She heard him say, then he laid down and contentedly watched the fire until he fell asleep. She suddenly realized at that moment, it was his way of being with the lost Fire Guardian, and his great friend, Ignitus.

Now the pregnant dragon begins talking to the fire herself...hoping for any comfort from her husband.

"Please Spyro...You can't leave me alone..." Cynder bellows through her tears. "...not now!"

She looks down...seeing the roundness of her stomach, and is ready to breakdown again. She can not get away from the reminder of what may be.

Suddenly, a crackling noise from the fire, startles the dark dragoness. She quiets her mind, listening to the sounds of the inferno more intently.

Cynder can almost hear her husband, but it is not his voice, it is his heartbeat...the sound she always hears while lying beside him. She can almost feel the pounding rhythm that comforts her...The steady beat of the one that holds her tight when she is troubled, or pulses stronger in times of joy & passion.

Suddenly the black and red dragoness is startled by another sound, one that may have just been created in her mind. She again calms her movements and listens hard to the fire.

A smile fills Cynder's face and a deep comfort befalls her. She can hear the pure resolve of her powerful husband shouting back from the crackling fire.

_"I promise you Cynder...I will be home tomorrow."_

Maybe she hears it, or maybe it is just in her head, either way her emotions are swayed by the strength of his last words to her.

"No! You promised you would return...and I believe you" She tells herself, staring deep into the blaze...the rage of her husband dancing in the flames before her eyes. The young dragoness rubs her belly once more and smiles at the inferno "There is no way you will fail...not with so much at stake!"

The young dragoness gently lowers to the ground near the fire, and finally begins to relax. Cynder takes a deep calming breath and lays her head down

"I will see you tomorrow!" The young dragoness bellows proudly to the flames before her.

Cynder closes her eyes, and falls asleep to the flickering sound of Spyro's fire...a new found respect to the element he holds in the highest regard.

The pregnant dragon gets a good 15 second nap before a different type of crackling noise disturbs her. The black and red dragon turns her head towards the mouth of the cave and sees a swirl of energy begin forming just inside her home. Cynder gets to her paws quickly and into a defensive posture. Unsure of who is coming...she starts to power up her breath for a poisonous attack.

A fear fills her heart...this would not be the first time someone attacked her while Spyro was away. Several times, she had to defend herself in the city from unprovoked assaults. Luckily, Cynder had the speed to stay out of harms way, and retreat to those that would protect her. The Guardian's of Avalar.

Over the past 5 years, because of Cynder's ability to make peace, the young dragoness has found respect in New Warfang, however, there are still those very few unforgiving souls that would love to see her dead. Retribution for something horrible she did during her dark years under Malefor's control. The young dragoness would never fight back, understanding the pain of those who were angry with her.

These attacks have become less frequent, and she now has many friends in the city that walk with her...giving her peace of mind.

However, no one is around to help her, and Spyro told her he would be back tomorrow...so in her mind...she is ALONE

Seeing her only exit blocked by the swirling energy of a portal, the young dragoness panics. Even if she could run, being 3 months pregnant, there is no where for her to go.

Cynder digs her talons into the ground, as the portal in front her flickers with the energy of someone passing through. Her paws shake with nervous energy as her heart beats adrenaline through her body faster and faster. A green mist begins to seep from Cynder's open mouth, and her eyes focus squarely on her target.

As the intruder walks into the room, Cynder's eyes open wide. She freezes solid with the incredible shock, and relief, of who is standing before her.

"SPYRO!" She barks with surprise.

Overcome with so many joyful emotions, and after feeling so many of the opposite just moments before, Cynder forgets her muzzle is loaded with poison. She accidentally spews a ball of her green magic directly at her husband.

The small orb of poison lands at Spyro's front feet covering his chest, all four legs, and the lower half of his muzzle with a thick green ooze. The purple dragon's senses are blasted with the toxic odor, and he coughs from the immediate taste in his mouth. His eyes water from the nasty vapors and Spyro loses his balance.

However, before he starts to fall, the young dragon feels the secure grip of his wife's embrace. She lifts him up off his feet hugging him tighter and continually apologizing

The purple dragon is exhausted and shutters in pain from his wife's embrace, but says nothing to stop her. He can sense the fear that she was just feeling, and if holding him will help, he will not stop her...no matter how painful.

Cynder suddenly feels her husband is not returning her embrace and she gently puts him back down on his hind legs. Spyro immediately lowers to a sitting position to catch his breath. The young dragoness weeps seeing her husband so weak, and now feels worse for attacking him accidentally

Spyro wipes his paw across his eyes to clear them, but applies more poison to his face forgetting his paw was covered as well. The young dragon yelps in pain, making Cynder feel worse. She cradles his head softly and begins licking the poison from his face.

"I'm so sorry, Spyro!" She cries as she cleans her husband's eyes of the stinging liquid. "I didn't mean to..."

The purple dragon grasps Cynder's snout and pulls it down to the front of his. He kisses his wife passionately to stop her from apologizing any further, and to let her feel his undying love for her. With his eyes now wide open to look upon her...they gaze at each other with overwhelming joy.

However, as their muzzles are pressed together, Cynder can still see some pain in her husband's purple eyes.

"Are you OK?" She asks him somberly, and Spyro lowers his head to the ground.

The purple dragon takes a deep breath and returns his eyes to his wife. A vast smile crosses his muzzle, and Spyro uses all of his strength to stand once more and hug her. The purple dragon tightly embraces his wife, and opens his wings wide.

"I will be, Cynder..." He whispers in her ear and wraps himself and his wife inside a cocoon of his arms and wings. "...now that I'm holding you in my arms...There is nothing that can hurt me!"

Spyro lowers his paw down to her round belly, and Cynder smiles as she feels his heart beat faster from sheer excitement He kisses his wife on the side of the neck and she can sense a quick change in his emotion.

"I Promise..." Spyro's whispers sternly into her ear, still feeling the trembling nerves in her body. "...I will never leave you alone like this again...I swear it!"

Spyro grips his wife tighter and Cynder relaxes in his arms...completely at peace.

However the sudden crackle of the portal, that is still open by the mouth of the cave, startles the pregnant dragoness.

"Who is that?" She barks with a quick return of fear in her voice.

"Oh yeah...I almost forgot!" Spyro replies, and pulls his head back to look his wife in the eye. "I brought home a friend for dinner!"

Spyro opens his wings revealing the large creature of pure energy, and Cynder is startled.

She kinda recognizes the large creature before her, but he is a bit different from what she remembers.

"This guy came at the last moment and saved my life...without him I would dead!" Spyro says with pride looking up at his new friend. The energy man returns a very deep smile.

"Cynder, I want you to meet The Guardian of the Universe!"

Spyro turns his head to his wife and places his front paw on her cheek.

"This is my beautiful wife, Cynder!" Spyro barks proudly, but is suddenly shocked by the look on her face, and more so but what she says.

"That is not the Guardian...Spyro!"

The purple dragon is befuddled by what he hears.

_"How would she know who the Guardian is..."_ He thinks to himself, but suddenly a different thought quickly sinks into his head, one that strikes fear into his heart.

_"If this is not the Guardian..then who is it!" _

"NO!" Cynder barks with a blood curdling fear filled voice, and time slows down for Spyro as he notices his wife's facial expression turn to one of shock.

He watches Cynder flinch her head not to look, and the purple dragon can almost feel the attack that is forth coming from behind. With his peripheral vision, Spyro sees a foot of pure granite swinging towards the right side of his head. At the last moment he turns to the left, but is still met with great force by the stone kick. The purple dragon's golden right horn takes most of the impact, snapping in half and spiraling to the ground.

Without a bit of magic or strength left in him, Spyro is in no shape to withstand any type of attack. The viscous unsuspecting kick hurls the purple dragon across the room...into the stone wall near the lowered fire pit.

The powerless dragon slams to the ground facing Cynder and this new threat...the supposed 'friend ' he brought to his home for dinner. The large creature, now made of pure stone, approaches his pregnant wife.

Spyro tries to move, but his body just will not let him. His eye-lids slowly close, and he is helpless to stop even that. The young dragon is so exhausted from his earlier fight that he can not stop his body from shutting down. Even the image of his wife being grabbed by her throat, can not keep Spyro from passing out-cold.

The dark dragoness gasps in the stone grip of this hostile visitor and he stares into her green eyes with an evil smile.

"Do you remember me Cynder?" He bellows to her face. "Look into my eyes, tell me you don't recognize your old Master."

Cynder gazes into his eyes, and is startled by a vision that has haunted her memory from birth. She knows the falcon like yellow eyes of the Dark Master when she sees them, and now his narrow black pupils are burning into her mind again.

"How can it be possible? We saw you die!" Cynder yelps, struggling to free herself.

The Dark Master laughs in her face, and Cynder halts her effort to break free.

"You thought you killed ME!" He replies through the laughter, but then becomes angry in the next breath. "I AM NOT MALEFOR!"

The angry stone creature thrusts her body back, and his arm extends longer and longer. Cynder slams back first into the wall next to the fire pit, where Spyro is still laying unconscious. The rock beast's arm continues to pour more and more stone...enveloping around her neck and holding her securely to the wall behind.

"Stay there!" The Dark Master smugly barks, as he walks over to Spyro's limp body. "I want him to see this...before I take him!"

Cynder stops struggling to break free once again, hearing the anxiousness in his last statement.

"Take Him!" She yelps with fear and confusion, and watches the stone creature lay Spyro down in front her. "What do you mean by that?"

Once again he changes his elemental form, and his fists of pure granite turn to bitter cold hands of ice. The Dark Master, a master of all elements, calls upon his frosty magic to coat the purple Dragon's entire body, with the exception of his head and neck, in a block of solid ice.

When he sufficiently coats Spyro in an unbreakable barrier of frozen water, the Dark Master returns his attention to one of his old servants...one that has turned her back on his order.

"I thought you were smart Cynder!" He quips at the dark dragoness hanging from the wall. "But perhaps I was wrong...maybe Malefor can explain better."

Cynder looks at him still puzzled by his cryptic response.

"I don't understand!" She cries.

The Dark Master stares coldly in Cynder's green eyes, as an evil smile crosses his face.

"YOU WILL SOON!"

The stone creature places his hand upon her pregnant belly, and Cynder stares into his narrow eyes fearing the worst. He applies force to her body, and the dark dragoness panics unable to protect the most important thing to her.

"NOOO" She screams, but is suddenly rocked by a strange sensation. The pressure from his grasp is not effecting her stomach in the least, however, she can feel her back sinking into the wall.

Cynder struggles to turn her head and look behind. The dragoness is mortified at the sight of her wings turning to stone and becoming part of the wall. Cynder again tries desperately to break free, but now feels the cold reality of her predicament.

Her movements become lethargic, as Cynder's long tail and powerful hind legs freeze solid. The dark dragoness watches in terror as the line of magic painfully works its way up her legs and from around her back, covering her red chest in a matter of seconds.

The Dark Master smiles in her face, and slowly strolls back to his other captured dragon. The one he is here for.

"SPYRO" He yells loudly, then smacks the purple dragon across his muzzle. "Come on, Spyro...Don't you want to say goodbye to your wife!"

The Stone creature grasps the purple dragon's unbroken left horn, pulls his head up, and smacks him across the face harder.

"I SAID WAKE UP DRAGON!" The Dark Master yells upon impact, and Spyro is jolted from his forced slumber.

The young dragon's senses are overwhelmed in a split second as he regains consciousness.

His face stinging from the pain of the solid hand across his muzzle, and his eyes are wobbly from the impact.

The taste of his wife's poison now mixed with his blood, fills Spyro's mouth. However, the bitterness of adrenaline is not present...since the young dragon has used every bit of strength his heart could pump.

The purple hero can smell the familiar scent of HOME, sending a harsh reminder of where this attack is taking place...and who brought him here.

But his 5th and final sense is what disturbs him the most...the sound of his wife trying to say his name.

"Spyroooo!" He hears in a painful gasp, and the purple dragon quickly snaps his head to the sound of her voice.

Spyro is horrified, seeing his pregnant wife almost completely frozen into the wall before him, and begins freaking out. He wriggles his head and neck around violently to break free, but his body remains locked tight.

"It is useless young dragon!" Bellows a voice to his left, and Spyro turns his head to his attacker.

"Why are you doing this?" The purple dragon barks with confusion. "Why didn't you just kill me before when you had the chance...why her!"

The stone giant lowers his head down to show Spyro the same eyes he showed his wife before.

"NO...that can't be...You're dead!" Spyro gasps, seeing Malefor's eyes staring him in the face. The young dragon is speechless looking into the falcon like eyes of the Dark Master.

The Stone creature wraps his arm around Spyro's exposed neck, then places his other hand over his muzzle and nose.

"I don't need to explain it to you...when I can just show you!" The Dark Master bellows into Spyro's ear. He yanks the purple dragon's attention towards the wall his wife is frozen to. "However, I want you to witness the end of your former life. Then I will make you understand!"

Spyro struggles to breath, not getting a single breath of air into his lungs. He tries to move his head from the stone grip of his foe, but with no leverage to speak of, it is impossible

However, his attention is not on whether or not he can breathe.

Spyro's focus is souly on his wife, as the stone magic begins to envelop her head. His heart stops beating as their eyes lock. Spyro can see the pure sorrow she feels for him, having to watch, and unable to help him in any way.

It is the same look she can see in his returning gaze.

A tear forms in the corner of her green eye, and the purple dragon struggles once more to break free. He can no longer watch and tries to turn his head away, but the Dark Master's grasps is too strong.

Spyro stops jostling as the green of Cynder's eyes fade to the drab dark color of the stone wall behind, and the tear curling down her cheek falls as a pebble to the floor.

"Don't worry Spyro she's not dead yet...but trust me it will not take long!" The Dark Master creepily whispers in his ear. "Look at her young hero, watch the immediate suffering of those that do not follow my orders!"

Spyro focuses again at his stone wife, and is startled to see Cynder still moving around. Her movements are slow and subtle, but she is still alive.

"Cynder will feel years of brutal torture in that hell I've sent her to!" The Dark Master bellows, and squeezes his arm tighter around Spyro's throat. "However, your hell begins now!"

A dark energy begins pulsing into Spyro's face, from the Dark Master's hand that is placed over his muzzle. Surprisingly he releases the purple dragon's mouth and lessens his stone grip around Spyro's neck.

The young hero, feeling the strain of a lack of oxygen and blood to his brain, is desperate for air, and takes a deep breath.

The Dark Master is quick to power a blast of his evil energy down his throat and into his lungs.

Spyro's eyes widen in pain, and his body shutters in the block of ice holding him immobile. He can feel the presence of a power in his body that is not his own, and quickly becomes nervous from the Dark Master's action. The Purple dragon senses the energy inside is already causing him to feel different...energy that is making him feel angry, and enraged...nothing like himself.

Spyro shuts his mouth tight not allowing another blast of evil power to be so easily forced in. However, not getting much oxygen with his lone breath, Spyro is still suffocating.

"Come on little fella...why fight it!" The Dark Master whispers in his ear. "You have nothing here to live for anymore."

Spyro becomes irate and struggles again, but uses the little air he took in, quickly. The young dragon slows down his aggression and begins to pass-out.

"That's right...there is nothing you can do to stop it!" The Dark Master barks proudly. He starts pouring energy into Spyro's closed muzzle waiting for him to fall asleep and take a breath. "Soon Spyro...very soon...I will have the dragon realms once more"

The Dark Master laughs with great anticipation, and Spyro lowers his head in defeat.

_"I can not give up!"_ Spyro tells himself.

His eyes focus upon his wife once more to draw strength, but a cold sight of multiple scars that have quickly lined her body from head to toe is disheartening to the purple hero.

_"How could I let this happen to you Cynder!"_ The young dragon continues to tell himself, feeling an anger of letting his wife down...allowing the one who first stole her to take her once more.

Rage builds inside of Spyro, and with the influence of evil in his body...he focuses his anger at his friends.

_"Where are the friends I've laid my life on the line for...when they needed me!"_ Spyro barks to himself.

Being the only source of power in his weak body, the young dragon quickly becomes consumed with the evil inside him. _"Why are they not here to help me...when I need them!"_

A terrible thought crosses the purple hero's mind. _"LET GO, SPYRO!"_

The young dragon is ready to open his mouth and take a deep breath, allowing the inevitable.

Suddenly, a familiar voice crackles from the raging fire still burning in the pit to Spyro's right.

The purple dragon is startled and listens intently...hearing a voice he has never heard from a fire.

Only on certain occasions did Spyro ever hear anything, and even then it would only be a phantom thought in the young dragon's head.

However, this time, he can hear this voice crystal clear.

_"My brother is much better than that, and would never give up!"_

Spyro can feel the pure strength of his brother's soul. The comforting sound of his voice helps calm Spyro, and the purple dragon digs down deep for a little more time from his sore body.

_"That's it Spyro...Hang on buddy!" _His voice reassuring his brother "_Trust me...your friends are on the way, and will not let you down!"_


	8. Uncontrollable Dark Power

Chapter 8 Uncontrollable Dark Power

In the home of the great hero of Avalar, the battle of his life unfolds in his own living room. The young dragon frozen in ice, and no longer able to hold his breath, is slowly fading out.

Spyro's face sits in a cloud of dark purple mist, spewing from the open hand of the Dark Master. The thick cloud of magic stings his face with the painful burn of dark crystals...it surrounds his head...waiting for him to inhale its evil energy.

The purple and gold dragon violently trashes his head around to get his nostrils to fresh air, but the Dark Master holds his nose in the cloud.

"Stop fighting it Spyro!" He says coldly & sarcastically "I can not use you properly if hurt yourself too much."

The taunting of the Dark Master rings in his ears with a harsh reality. The young dragon can feel the wave of unconsciousness returning to his body.

_"I'm sorry Sparx!"_ The young dragon somberly says to himself. _"I did...the best...I...could!"_

Spyro's head lowers, and the Dark Master smiles as the young dragon begins breathing involuntarily. He watches intently as the first inhale, of his dark magic, enters through the nostrils of Spyro's purple snout.

"Now I will teach you the meaning of power and control" The Dark Master bellows while still holding the neck and head of his prize. "I will make you work non-stop to repair the damage you and that despicable wife of yours did..."

Spyro inhales another deep breath of evil magic, and shutters. His body begins convulsing violently, but he remains unconscious. A third breath is taken, and the Dark Master laughs with his victory.

"...you will be my servant, just like Malefor!..." The rock creature begins squawking.

"Not Likely!" Is shouted from behind startling the Dark Master from his taunt.

The evil creature's grip is broken from the purple dragon, when he is suddenly slammed in the back by a surprise attack. The Dark Master lurches forward and falls to the ground in front of the fire pit. He turns around to see his attacker is a blue dragon that reminds him of Ignitus, but he is wearing the Amulet of Time.

"So...they will let anyone be the Chronicler these days...!" The Dark Master smugly states, as he gets to his feet. "...Even those that can not properly protect their own. The dragon worlds must have little to offer, anymore!"

Ignitus stays calm through this insults, and turns his attention to the cloud of poisonous evil surrounding Spyro's head. With a quick flap of his wings...the air is cleared for his friend to breath, but Ignitus can sense the damage done.

He stares at the Dark Master with his steely blue eyes. "If you do not leave this place now...you will regret it!"

The Dark Master begins laughing as the old dragon drops into an aggressive posture.

"Are you kidding Ignitus...you do not have your Fire power anymore!" He replies...his laughter never-ceasing through his words. "You wouldn't stand a chance in a fight against me!"

Suddenly, his laughter halts abruptly, as the still opened portal flickers with a singular reinforcement.

"Oh...shit!" The Dark Master bellows as the real Guardian of the Universe walks from the swirling disk of energy.

Equally matched with his power, the Guardian would tip the battle in their favor, and the Dark Master realizes his time here may have run out.

He is not sure if Spyro has taken in enough Dark energy to be influenced, but regardless, the evil master knows he can not finish his work now...or can he.

The rock giant quickly glances at the stone statue of Cynder, still jostling in pain upon the wall. Then he looks over to Spyro, and can see the effects of his Dark Energy on the purple hero. He returns his gaze to both Ignitus & the Guardian with an evil smile

"I will still have my revenge on him!" The Dark Master barks, then opens a portal behind himself to leave in hurry. However, before walking through, he fires a sharp stone projectile from his hand directly at Cynder. This master of evil knows...with the dark magic inside Spyro, and seeing the pieces of his broken wife...it may be enough to send the purple dragon over the edge.

He can see his shot is straight and true...heading for the rounded stomach of the frozen dragoness, and the Dark Master disappears seeing no one can stop her death in TIME...

No one...but Ignitus.

The keeper of the palace of Time, blinks his eyes, and the world around him stops.

He waited for the last moment, letting the Dark Master to leave, not allowing him see the true power he now possesses. The blue dragon hurries to the stone projectile, grabbing it in his paw, then quickly allowing time to return to its normal flow.

The Guardian is shocked when Ignitus disappears and reappears in front of Cynder, in the blink of an eye. The energy giant stares at the blue dragon with a bit of puzzlement. He knew he could do that, but is surprised that he did.

"You can get in serious trouble for that Ignitus, as Chronicler, you should no better not to influence time for a single individual!" The Guardian barks sternly. "They may even dismiss you for such a personal use of that power.!"

Ignitus turns to the large creature made of energy...then looks down at the purple dragon still frozen in ice.

"He has laid his life on the line, for me, many times...I am only risking a life, I have already lived." Ignitus barks with pride. "I could not in good conscience have let my friend's wife die, because I was thinking of myself, and if that results in my dismissal...then so be it!"

The dragon of time looks up at the creature made of pure energy...then places his front right paw upon Cynder's belly. He smiles at the Guardian. "...besides...She is not 1 any more!"

The Guardian lowers his hand of energy upon the blue dragon's flank, and with a confident voice tells his old...but new friend.

"I would have done the same thing in your place Ignitus, and I believe...you will be Chronicler for some time!" The Guardian turns his attention to Cynder...then looks back at Ignitus with concern. He can see her belly is much large than it should be for being only 3 months pregnant.

The Guardian immediately realizes where she is and becomes very anxious.

"Oh no! I have to get her out of there now!" He yelps. "Hurry and help Spyro...he's going to need the voice of a good friend, Ignitus!"

The blue dragon quickly trots back to his frozen friend, while the Guardian tends to the Dark Magic cast upon his wife. Ignitus cradles Spyro's head in his arms and can hear a snarl to his breathing. His old mentor can feel the anguish inside his friend, and tries to calm him by talking.

"Easy my friend...I've got you!" Ignitus says to the restless dragon, and Spyro's eyes slowly open.

The blue dragon is uneasy at the site of Spyro's eyes, they are blood-red and show no sign of recognition to his old friend. The purple dragon grunts and snarls as if unable to speak.

"By the ancestors what did he do to you!" Ignitus yelps with fear, seeing his friend as a mindless demon.

"Talk to him Ignitus!" The Guardian bellows from the background, his arms slowly burrowing into the wall around Cynder. "Let him hear your voice...quickly before he is lost!"

"Spyro... You have to fight this, young dragon..." Ignitus strokes his paw down Spyro's neck and his voice cracks as he continues to try communicating "...Please...I can not lose my friend like this."

The elder dragon suddenly hears the slight moaning of Cynder's voice, and he turns his attention to the Guardian's work. He can see him pulling The dragoness' head from the wall, and smiles seeing the color returning to Spyro's wife.

"Yes...You have to fight it now, Spyro..." HE yelps with a more joyful tone. "For Cynder and your child!"

Hearing that name, and knowing what he has been so desperately wanting his whole life, is just within his grasp, Spyro digs down deep for one more fight.

A battle within himself.

The dark energy pulses through his veins, and Spyro can not stop his heart from pumping this anger. Feelings of rage and thoughts of destruction fill the young dragon's head...he can feel himself fading fast.

However, his thoughts of Cynder are calming. The purple dragon suddenly envisions his wife holding a bundled whelpling, and it sends a feeling of great joy throughout his body.

The evil thoughts being to fade, as Spyro sees his future, and knows he only need open his eyes.

Spyro begins blinking, and shaking his head. His voice starts coming back as he softly replies "Ignitus..is that you?"

"Yes!" The Chronicler sighs with a deep breath of relief, as not only does he hear Spyro's voice, but his purple eyes have returned as well.

The young dragon looks up at his old mentor, and he can see the smile on his friend's muzzle.

"Why am I so cold?" Spyro asks calmly and his friend just laughs and hugs the purple dragon's neck.

Meanwhile, The Guardian stares into the stone eyes of the dragoness in his care. His arms buried deep into the wall pulling her neck slowly from the rock surface. He can see the green color returning to her pupils, and the hears the sounds of her voice as she softly moans from relief.

"That's good Cynder...do not worry...I will not let go!" He whispers to her.

Her eyes focus squarely upon the Guardian, and a smile slowly crosses her mouth. She can see the face she recognizes in the energy man before her, however, her smile leaves quickly and her voice becomes rushed

"Guardian! Please...hurry." Cynder softly yelps...then looks down at her belly "It's happening!"

A stern look befalls the energy man's face realizing Cynder has aged months in seconds, and is now in labor.

"No Cynder...You have to hold on! If you lay that egg now it may be lost forever." He yelps.

The Guardian lowers his head down to her face, and winches from the up close site. He can see several deep cuts across her muzzle, and the look of not having any sleep for days. The young dragoness is wasted, and the Guardian knows he has to work much faster.

"I'm sorry Cynder...but this is going to hurt like hell..." The Energy Man whispers into her ear. "...but I have to get you out of there now!"

Her green eyes focus on his and a slight smile crosses her muzzle.

"I'll be OK!" She replies softly "I trust you!"

The Guardian smirks at her resolve, and reaches deeper into the wall. The giant energy man grasps Cynder's wings and pulls as hard as he can without breaking them.

The young dragon's body jolts out of the wall several feet, but Cynder feels an incredible shock to her body, returning from a different dimension.

The dark purple and red dragon lets out a fierce yelp from the unsuspecting pain

Spyro hears Cynder scream in agony, and his eyes focus upon an energy man.

The same creature that saved his life, then came to his home and attacked him and his pregnant wife. The purple dragon's rage boils over and Spyro can not contain it. He has none of his own power left, but hearing the screams of his wife, Spyro calls upon the only energy available to him.

The Dark Energy forced into his body.

Ignitus watches in horror as his friend's eyes once again turn crimson red, and he begins to shutter violently.

"Easy Spyro!" The blue dragon barks, but it is impossible to get through to the rage filled dragon

Suddenly, Spyro's scales turn black, and a vast explosion of power shatters the ice around him.

Ignitus is tossed away from his friend by the force...slamming into the wall on the far side of the room.

The blue dragon is stunned, but can see his friend stand upon his hind legs and open his wings wide. A dark purple energy glowing from the black dragon's mouth

Spyro is filled with evil thoughts...to kill, something he tries never to do. He is also conflicted inside by the thought of using a power he should not, for this power...IS EVIL!

However, seeing the one that gained his trust...then attacked his wife and unborn baby, A single thought crosses his mind.

_"You need Evil...to destroy Evil!"_

"NO SPYRO!" Ignitus barks, but the blast of Dark Energy is already launched from his mouth, and it is intense.

The blindingly bright energy ball reaches its target in a split-second, and impacts The Guardian upon his left side.

With his mind solely on his work, he is completely caught off guard. The energy giant loses his balance, while still with a firm grip on the black dragon's wings, and as he falls over to the right...the unthinkable happens.

Cynder's right-wing, still stone and unable to take the strain, snaps off in The Guardians left hand.

The young dragoness squeals from the intense pain, and shock of seeing her wing held in front of her face.

The Guardian looks into Cynder's eyes, and she looks into his. She can see the worry on his face, and can feel the strain become overwhelming on her left-wing.

The energy man can feel the wing begin breaking, and he lets it go.

No longer holding her in this dimension, Cynder's body pulls back into the wall and freezes once again. Time slows down in his mind, as he watches the green eyes he was just looking into return to stone.

His focus shifts to the wing in his hand, as it returns to its red and black color. A sickening thought strikes his heart, knowing how he just left her in that dimension with an unbelievable handicap. The Guardian is appalled as her body begins showing more and more scars...at an alarming rate. He releases the broken wing in his hand as he falls to the floor in pain.

Spyro, charging at his foe to drive him away from his wife, also notices her wing falling to the floor. The young dragon halts his attack and slides to a stop in front of the piece of his wife lying before him. Spyro's turns his head towards the wall and Cynder.

His heart stops, and the evil inside his body no longer flows. All of his attention is upon his wife, and the fact she looks like she is suffering in PAIN.

However, what he notices most, is that she is THIN...Very thin...THE EGG IS GONE.

Spyro's black color fades back to purple, and he falls to his knees.

"NOOOOOOO!" He yelps in pain, grasping his wife's wing with his paws.

The young dragon looks down at her broken appendage, then back up to her body.

More and more scars begin covering her and Spyro becomes nauseous to the fact he can do nothing to stop it. He is taken by the site of his wife's suffering, to the point that he doesn't notice the Guardian getting back up next to him.

"MOVE!" The Energy man barks as he shoves Spyro to the side.

The purple dragon tumbles several times, and returns to his 4 paws, ready to strike again, However when he sees the Guardian reach into the rock wall around Cynder, and bear hug her stone body, he realizes that this guy is trying to help.

No longer concerned with the pain she will feel, the Guardian rips her entire body from the wall with one massive tug. He falls backward, landing upon the many pelts that cover the rock floor of Spyro's home. Cynder, still a stone statue, lays upon his chest.

The dark magic fades from her body slowly, and the horrific sight of her ordeal is spelled out, as her color returns.

Cynder is covered from head to toe with small bite marks, and the vibrant dark purple & red color of her scales are now faded from thousands of scratches on her body.

The young dragoness looks older, taller, and is very thin...almost malnourished. However, she seems to be in remarkably good health for someone in her condition. The Guardian can feel her heart beating strong and can see the dressing covering the stump of her missing wing is fresh.

"You were getting help recently." The guardian says to her unconscious body. He places his hand upon her head and begins reading her thoughts. "From who is what I want to know!"

Spyro, watching from the side begins to feel worse about what he just did, and slowly collapses to his stomach.

He can see the gentleness this energy giant is using with his hands on Cynder, as he easily lays her upon her side, and tends to her.

_"What have I done!?"_ he says to himself.

Still feeling the evil energy in his body, and not wanting to hurt his wife anymore than he has, Spyro slowly stands up and begins backing out of the cave to get away.

_"I can't stay here any longer...I have to get away!"_ Spyro tells to himself. _"I can't control this..I have to lea...!"_

Spyro backs into something and turns around to see what is in his path. He is startled to see Ignitus standing behind him.

"Where do you think you're going!?" Ignitus asks with concern, and quickly Spyro's eyes turn red.

The blue dragon can see that Spyro is not in control of his action, and pounces atop the purple dragon. With his larger frame, and the fact Spyro is running on fumes, Ignitus holds his friend down without problem.

"Easy Spyro...Stop fighting with me!" He yelps as the Chronicler lowers his head to the wrestling dragon's ear. "I want to help you!"

"Then let me go..." Spyro barks back. The young dragon raises his head to look at his old friend. "...I can't control it, Ignitus!"

The blue dragon places his front paw on Spyro head, and forces his jaw to the ground easily.

"It's because you are weak right now, Spyro! Nothing more!"

Ignitus removes his weight and helps his friend to his feet. "I should not be able to man handle you like this...that is the reason his poison is able to control you so easily."

Ignitus places his paws upon Spyro's shoulder, and the purple dragon looks up at his old mentor.

"You will not remain this weak for long...then you will have the strength to fight it, young dragon. Until then, I promise I will not let you out of my sight!"

His words are calming to Spyro, and his touch even more so. Ignitus raises his right paw from Spyro's shoulder and cradles his friend's muzzle up, to look him square in the eye.

"And if you try to leave again!" He says as a smile crosses his face. "I will kick your ass!"

Spyro, unable to move his head in Ignitus' grip, closes his eyes, he wants to laugh at his friend's statement, knowing he is trying to bring light to this tense moment. However, Spyro can still hear the moaning of his wife's pain behind him, not to mention the fact she is no longer pregnant

"But look at what I did to her!" Spyro replies as his eyes reopen with tears. "I almost killed her, and my baby...is gone..."

"By the Ancestors" The Guardian barks suddenly, startling both dragons. "SHE HAS MEMORIES OF A SON!"

Without another word spoken, The giant man of pure energy stands up where Cynder once sat frozen in the wall, and puts his hands into the rock.

"Please be alive!" He barks as he pulls the stone wall apart forming a rift to the dimension Cynder was forced into.

The Guardian walks in, and the rift begins flickering with pulses of energy.

Both dragons trot over to Cynder, and Spyro looks down at his wife.

"A son?" He yelps, and turns his head to Ignitus, with a smile. "MY SON?"

Spyro runs to the rip in the rocks to help this Guardian, but most of all to see his son as soon as possible. However the young dragon is blasted away as he makes contact with the wall.

The purple dragon is thrown over his wife into the opposite wall, slamming his body alongside the memorial to his brother. Spyro slides to the ground unable to move, in fact, he can't even call upon the Dark Energy any longer. What ever hit him, zapped all the strength in his body.

Ignitus comes to his friend's aid, and Spyro watches in horror, as the rip in the wall flickers faster and faster...then disappears.

"My son..."

Spyro stares at the rock wall of his home and realizes his son is gone forever. A tear falls from eye, and lands on the ground. He looks up at his friend, and Ignitus can see the despair in his eyes.

An eerie silence fills the room. Only the sounds of Cynder's slight moaning in pain, and her husband's now uncontrollable sobbing can be heard over the roaring fire.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning pops, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Spyro is shocked and elated as he watches the rift open once more. The Guardian falls out of the hole in the wall, and lands between he and Cynder.

His body of energy rolls on its side showing him holding a black adolescent dragon, and Spyro's heart begins pumping adrenaline. The young dragon can feel his own strength coming to the surface, and he drags his body forward to get a better look.

Shockingly, this young dragon has no scars, no bruises, and looks quite healthy.

The Guardian's eyes open and focus upon the young father dragging himself closer.

"Spyro!" The energy creature says, and the purple dragon looks to his family's rescuer. "I want you to meet your son...SPARX!"


	9. A Desperate Choice

Chapter 9 A Desperate Choice

Staring at the young dragon held in arms of energy, Spyro only has one thought!

_"This can not be my son...He's old!"_

However, the purple eyes of Spyro can not deny the resemblance to himself.

This young dragon has a gold chest like his, but dark purple scales like his mother. Sparx is remarkably broad chested like Spyro, but sleek in the rear for better air flow while flying...a trait he no doubt got from Cynder. He has no dorsal fins like his mom, and his horns are white just like hers. However, he only has two of them, and like his father Spyro, they breach from his skull just over his ears.

Spyro is almost positive this near adult dragon before him is his son, but when the young dragon opens his eyes...the purple hero becomes certain. He can see his own eyes in the dark dragon before him, and smiles as they scan the room to see their new surroundings.

"Where am I?" The young dragon whimpers with pain, and blinks his eyes several times. His voice becomes very anxious as he continues. "I can't see anything Guardian!"

The giant made of pure energy releases his grip and lowers the young dragon to the floor on his belly.

"Easy Sparx!" The Guardian softly tells him while stoking his back to calm him.

Spyro becomes nervous as well hearing his son is blind.

"What is wrong with him!" He yelps with concern, and the young dragon turns his head to the voice he can hear.

"Why can't he see anything!"

The Guardian places his other hand on Spyro's neck, and forces him gently to the ground.

"You take it easy too...it is only temporary!" He barks with assurance. "It is a dark place where he lived for so long...his eyes will adjust to the light in a moment, but you need to settle down!"

Spyro raises his head back up and is started at the sight he couldn't see before. His son's back was against the Guardian, so he was not able to see the real proof...this dragon is his offspring.

A vibrant stripe of Spyro's purple scales run from a point between his white horns, widening down his back, then tapering off at the tip of his dark tail.

Spyro reaches out to his son, and runs his paw down the smooth purple scales of Sparx' neck, and the youngster turns his head once again towards him.

"Sparx...are you OK!" He asks his son.

The young dragon squints, trying to focus his eyes in the brighter environment. All he can see is a purple blotch with gold highlight, that he believes he recognizes.

However his voice is different, so Sparx is unsure with his response.

"Malefor?"

Spyro is immediately struck in the chest with his son's answer, like he was punched by the Dark Master himself.

"What did you say!" Spyro barks, startling his son. "How do you know of him?"

Sparx lowers his head knowing he said something wrong, but suddenly a voice from behind grabs his attention fast.

"No baby! That is your father...Spyro!"

His eyes light up with the sound he hasn't heard in almost 6 years, and one he never thought he'd hear again...His mother's voice.

Sparx breaks his grip from the Guardian and blindly searches for her.

His nose still works fine, though he thought other wise when he caught Cynder's scent upon arrival, and now uses it to find his way in the bright room. Within seconds the young dragon is nestling his muzzle under his mother's arm for protection

"Mom...how is this possible!" He yelps with joy. "The Guardian said you were alive, but I didn't believe it."

Her hugs her tighter then her sore body can bare, but Cynder does not yelp nor push her son away. She just allows Sparx to hug her as tight as he wants, and she smiles at every bit of the pain.

Cynder opens her eyes, and blinks several time from the brightness, however her eyes focus quicker then his, since she has dealt with this type of light before.

The shock on her face is apparent when she gets a glimpse of her young son, who is no longer young.

"Sparx!" She cries, while slowly wrapping her own paw around him. "What happened to my little baby!"

The young mother reflects on the first time laying eyes on his egg, and the terrible moment that followed when she made a desperate move Cynder never thought she would make.

* * *

><p>When the young dragoness returned to stone and the dimension she was thrust into, she was in such great pain. Her wing was gone and the young dragon was ready to give birth. However, the fear that filled her knowing were she was again, and knowing what enemies she faced, hurt Cynder much more.<p>

Small dog like demons, haunt Cynder's mind. These 1 foot tall nuisances are nothing by themselves, however the are never alone. Hunting in packs of thousands, these creatures can overwhelm anything in seconds.

The only advantage to her, was her color. Being a dark dragon, and possessing the power of Shadow...Cynder could hide very easy.

However with no crystals to recharge her magic, Cynder has not been able to call upon her power for some time. The young dragoness knows she must remain quiet and unseen.

Cynder tucks her remaining wing to her side tightly, and smears her red chest into the soot below...a tactic she learned quick. Her bright red chest and wings would give her away all the time, and she was force to use much of her magic in the first few weeks.

Cynder would finally be able to flee her attackers with the other advantage she possesed...flying. But now, missing a wing, the young dragoness is grounded.

As her eyes focus in the dark environment she has returned to, Cynder is thankful for one thing. No one is around, especially the one she fears the most.

Cynder saw him twice, flying above, and hid both times never being spotted. She never believed the Stone creature that sent her here, but seeing the massive Purple dragon flying above, Cynder was sure why she was sent here...

For her child.

Just like Cynder, if they could get their hands on Spyro's child, they could have a new 'Terror of the Skies', and one far more powerful the just a black dragon.

Cynder looks around for a secluded place to lay her egg. The young mother quickly finds a spot only a hundred yards away, but is unable to make it even that far. As she takes a step the pain of labor becomes overwhelming, and Cynder lets out a great yelp in agony. She collapses to the ground where she stands, and begins straining from the contractions.

Cynder holds her tongue seeing several demons now investigating the sound they heard. She keeps silently still as their eyes peer in her direction, hoping she covered her chest completely. Cynder slowly squints her eyes so they show no reflection, and holds her breath throughout the next contraction.

These creatures can see very subtle movements and the young dragon knows she is completely defenseless at this moment.

The demons continue to look in the direction of the young dragon, and she gets a sinking feeling.

_"oh no..They see me!"_ She thinks to herself, then is overcome with the pain of movement in her stomach. She lets out several breaths as easily as she can...but is fearful. The young dragoness is sure they see her painful breaths and the slight shuttering of pain her body can not stop.

However, when the creatures walk off, a sudden relief fills her soul. The young dragoness then feels even more relief as the last painful push is involuntarily given to free the egg from her body.

Cynder holds her tongue once more and closes her eyes. The pain is intense, in her back, and her (lower area), but she can not let out a whimper knowing how close her enemies are.

The young mother slowly opens her eyes, looks down at what she has done, and a smile crosses her face.

The black and purple colored egg that sits before her almost acts like a crystal, taking her pain and giving her strength. She looks in the direction of where she saw danger and smiles larger when she no longer sees a threat.

The young dragoness curls up around her egg, and rests for a just a moment.

Suddenly, and without warning, Cynder is overwhelmed from behind by a pack of ravenous demons. They quickly cover the young dragoness from head to toe biting and clawing at her arms and legs.

The young mother, exhausted from giving birth, is powerless to stop the attack upon her. She can feel every part of her body tingle with the pain of their claws and teeth. Then, the most painful sensation strikes her heart, Cynder can feel her egg being pulled from her paws.

"NOOOO!" She screams muffled under the cloak of evil dogs the cover her body. Cynder tries to scramble after the few that stole her egg, but she can not move fast enough with the vicious attack slowing her down. The young dragon is pulled back to the ground by the relentless pack and again covered by the swarm.

Cynder watches in horror as the several demons that have her egg, try to crack it open. As the scavengers they are, these demons don't want to steal it...they are looking to eat it, along with her.

"STOP!" She screams seeing them hit her egg with countless swipes from their claws. The young mother becomes hysterical screaming at the top of her lungs

"Please...Someone help me!" Cynder cries, but knows no one is there to help her.

The dark dragoness lowers her head in concession, hoping the demons will take her life, before she witnesses her worst nightmare.

However, as Cynder's eyes close from the pain in her body, she sees a bright purple glow come from the sky above. A beam of pure convexity slams to the ground and incinerates everything around the egg. She then feels 2 large arms wrap around her back to her chest and grip tight.

Cynder can tell right away who has grabbed her...for he has man handled her before, and his grip is still familiar in her head.

The flapping of massive wings and the sounds of huge bursts of power fill the air, but the young dragoness can clearly hear a voice she recognizes from her dark past.

"I've got you, Cynder!" He yelps with confidence.

The dark dragoness cringes with fear knowing who has a firm grip on her once more. She is helpless to stop her limp body from being lifted off the ground and towed over to her egg. His massive purple paw lowers from her body to grasp the young mother's offspring.

Malefor with a solid grip on both mother and egg, jumps into the air, and blasts away at great speed.

Cynder begins crying seeing the life she lived, will most likely play out for her child.

Her eyes lock upon the sinister paw of Malefor holding her egg, and she can not bear the thought of what her child will face if he keeps it. The young dragon begins to focus what little energy she has left for one last desperate hope to break free.

However just as Cynder is ready to strike at the throat of her enemy, Malefor brings the egg to her red chest.

"Hold on to your child with everything you have left, Cynder" Malefor barks and she quickly wraps her paws around the black and purple egg.

The large purple and gold dragon banks hard to the right to avoid another group of charging demon-like dogs.

Cynder begins losing grip of her egg from the sudden turn, but Malefor is quick to lower his paw to his chest and hold it steady against the weakened mother. The purple dragon cranes his head down to look her in the face.

"Hold on to it tightly, Cynder. You can not let go..." He barks, staring at her with his deep PURPLE eyes. "...NOT NOW!"

Malefor again turns hard and avoids another group of hungry demons. The large purple dragon pushes off the ground with his hind legs then wraps them around the lower half of Cynder's body to hold her still while he gains height.

"Just hang on for a few more seconds Cynder..." He barks seeing his body clearing the last point the demons can reach him from.

"Were safe now!" Malefor bellows, but Cynder does not feel safe...in fact she is very confused!

The black & red dragoness is startled by the actions of Malefor in the heat of this moment. This callous foe, that she has known never to be merciful, has saved her life, and given back her egg. He is being gentle but firm with his grasp, not allowing Cynder to even jostle around in his arms and legs. But at the same time, she can barely feel his grip.

His voice is different, soft but filled with confidence, sounding more like a dragon that is in control of his emotions...not mindlessly expressing his rage.

But it is his eyes that smack the young dragoness in the face, as she almost sees her husband in them.

Identical to Spyro's, his eyes now show the true color of his heritage.

"Cynder, please do not struggle..." he says feeling her trying again to shake free of his grip. "I promise I am not going to hurt you!"

"I don't believe you" She bellows and turns her head from his gaze.

The dark dragoness once again wriggles around to break free, but Malefor tightens his grip slightly, still trying not to hurt her.

"I'm sorry Cynder, I can not let you go!" He replies somberly, and continues to fly toward the mountains off in the distance.

Malefor lowers down to the front of the mountain range, taking refuge in a cave near the peak of a sheer rock face. With a view of the entire valley below, it gives this cave a very distinct advantage for someone who can fly. Allowing him to see anyone coming for miles, Malefor has kept this cave as his residence for many years.

"Rest for a while Cynder!" He yelps as he places her softly atop several pelts that line the floor.

Cynder, once feeling her feet on solid ground, violently shakes Malefor from her back. The large dragon backs off so she doesn't hurt herself or her egg.

Cynder places the black & purple egg down on the pelts and rears up on her hind legs between Malefor and her baby.

"You are not getting my EGG you bastard!" Cynder growls

"I do not want your child Cynder!" He replies sternly and shakes his head with disgust "I am trying to help you. Nothing more."

"I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP!" She yells and swats her claws across his gold chest.

Malefor winces from the pain, and backs away further to the mouth of the cave...not to provoke the young mother.

The purple dragon slowly looks down at the nearly 2000 foot drop from the mouth of this home he constructed with his Earth power.

"I'm sorry to say, that you are stuck here though...I don't think you can get down by yourself..." He remarks, then looks at her sternly once more. "..and I'm damn sure that I will not release you to those demons in your condition!"

"So I'm your prisoner!" Cynder replies.

Malefor lowers his head. "I'm sorry, that is how you see it, and it is my fault for that, however, I do not wish to hurt you in any way Cynder...ever again!"

The young dragoness is startled by his words, but...

"Yeah I'm sure!" Cynder snidly comments.

"Believe me or not...is of no importance to me Cynder!" He replies with his own sarcasm "I am going to stay here and protect you weather you want my help or not!"

Cynder gets down on her 4 paws and walks around her egg. She curls her body around it tightly to keep it warm, then looks at Malefor with malice.

"I would rather you leave me with the demons...As long as it meant not being stuck here with you!"

The purple dragon takes a deep breath at her insult feeling it cut through his heart, but he completely understands, and that is what sends emotion to his voice.

"If you think you're my prisoner, then I will leave you to your solitude!" Malefor barks with anger. He opens his wings wide scouting an area for him to watch her.

"There is food and water available to you in that other room!" He retorts then disappears with a blast of his massive wings.

Cynder stares at the doorway of the cave as he disappears believing it is just another trick. She intently watches for hours never taking her eyes from the entrance, barely blinking, knowing he will return at sometime for his prize.

However, the young mother can feel her strength has left her body, so if he did return...there was not much she could do. Cynder can smell the food he was speaking of wafting in from the room to her right, and slowly stands on her feet. The young dragon walks to the mouth of the cave, and looks around to see her options.

Cynder can see there is no way down, however there is also no way up for the demons, a slight calm fills her heart knowing she will not be attacked like that again.

She scans her eyes across the mountain range, and is bewildered by the sight of snow atop the lone peak she is nesting on. Obviously another option Malefor made to his home with his powers.

For a moment, Cynder almost feels at home, She can hear the water running down the mountain, and smells the mist of rain falling from close by. The same smell she would have if she walked out of her own home.

The young dragon almost smiles at her prison, but then quickly remembers where she is, and who's her captor. Her eyes scan the peak directly across from her and she can see the large purple frame of Malefor lying still.

He is staring down at the ground watching like a hawk, making sure no one has followed him back. Suddenly he turns his head towards his home, and can see the one-winged dragon staring back.

Cynder immediately becomes angry, and Malefor watches as her slight smile disappears at the sight of his presence close by.

The massive purple and gold dragon can see he is still upsetting his guest, so he does something that completely baffles Cynder once more...Malefor turns and flies away

Cynder watches as he completely disappears from sight, but she stands there and waits, knowing he will return.

However, as time goes by, the smile slowly returns to Cynder's muzzle. Malefor does not cone back

She turns around to the egg and her smile becomes larger. The young mother trots back to the large purple & black egg, lifting it softly with her paws, and she strolls into the other room.

Her jaw hits the ground as she gazes upon a room nearly the size of the Valley of Avalar, and just as beautiful.

Several rivers run through the massive room, feed by the snow cap that Malefor replenished every so often, and a large pulsing ball of plasma electricity fills the room with artificial sunlight.

Many of the things she has taken for granted since being forced here over 3 months ago, now sit once again before her. Cynder can feel the soft grass under her paw pads, and the gentle heat the make shift sun is giving. The young dragoness lays her egg down in a bed of wild flowers near the closest river, and takes a drink.

Cynder's smile grows further, tasting the pureness of water. It has been a while since the young dragon had a drink of water, for there is none to speak of here. She has resorted to doing the unthinkable...drinking blood.

The young dragoness continues to gulp from the river, until suddenly her eyes focus upon something in the water...something she can not believe. The young dragon lowers into a crouch, not to be seen, and waits.

A primal look fills her eyes as she leaps into the water...pouncing upon a nice sized salmon. In one quick move, Cynder has the fish in her mouth and swallows it whole.

"By the ancestors...!" She bellows feeling something, more than a few pieces of rancid meat she finds lying around, finally reaching her stomach.

The young dragoness cranes her hear up out of the water, searching for another fish.

"I wouldn't do that again!" a small voice whispers from behind startling the young dragoness, and she turns to see who is talking.

Cynder's eyes see nothing before her, and she quickly trudges out of the water to her egg.

"Who are you...Show yourself!" She bellows while circling around to find where that voice came from.

Suddenly her eye focus upon movement several yards away, and she is shocked at the creature that emerges from the bushes.

It is one of the small dog like demons. However, unlike her ravenous counter parts, this dog is clean and alive.

Pure white fur coats this German Shepard like creature, with sparkling blue eyes. The young animal walks from behind the protection of the bushes and looks at the purple and black egg.

"Wow a dragon's egg!"

"What are you doing up here!" Cynder barks and lowers into an attack position

"Wait...please...My name is Snow...I'm a friend of Malefor!" The young female barks while backing away from Cynder's egg.

The young mother's eyes squint, locking her target in a tunnel vision. She lowers down further, and readies to pounce once more.

"Then I really should kill you!" The dark dragon yelps.

"For saving you life, Cynder!" Malefor's voice rings out from behind her.

Cynder turns to see Malefor standing a few feet behind her.

"I knew it!" She yelps and runs back to the riverside to defend her egg. "You are not getting my egg!"

Malefor shakes his head and gives a dumb look to his friend.

"She thinks she's here so I can kill her, Snow!" Malefor tells the white Shepard with a big smirk, and the dog like creature smiles with recognition. "Then take her egg!"

"This is the same Cynder you told me about!" Snow yelps and suddenly the young dragoness is beside herself.

"You were right Malefor...she is very pretty, and very strong-willed..."

The white shepard slowly walks back over to Cynder and her egg, with a bit of caution in her step this time. Her blue eyes focus upon the many scars that line the young dragons body, but most of all her missing wing. The young dog cringes at the thought of her pain.

"...and very injured!" She says with a wince in her eyes. "Can I please tend to that for you, my dear!"

Cynder is in shock at the willingness of this creature to help, even after she was treating to kill her. However, Malefor takes a step closer, and Cynder becomes defensive again.

The young Shepard backs away, not to be trampled by Cynder's reaction to Malefor.

The purple dragon stares at his former puppet, and smiles.

"You know...as warden...I should have laid out the ground rules of this prison!" He bellows with a chuckle, and both Cynder and Snow look at him funny.

"Prison?" The white Shepard barks with confusion.

"That's what she believes, Snow, so that is what this is!" Malefor replies as he walks past both women to the riverside

"However, Cynder!" He barks and turns his head to face her. "there are still rules you need to follow."

The purple dragon returns his focus up river, and can see the wake of trouble coming

"First rule being...Never Eat the Fish in This River...Without Permission!"

Sudden a large Serpent raises from the surface of the river. It stares with shock at Malefor, and lowers down to the massive purple dragon.

"Did that black dragon steal one of my fish!" It's raspy voice barks with anger.

"No!" Malefor replies sternly. "I gave her permission to take it, and I am giving her permission to take as many as she needs...is that understood!"

The serpent raises his head and looks at the black & red dragoness. His eyes sharply focus upon her and then they return to Malefor.

"That is Cynder isn't it?" The serpent squawks, and again the young dragoness is beside herself.

"Yes it is!" Malefor replies and looks back at her. "She is my guest here for as long as she likes, and you will treat her with the same respect that I have come to appreciate!"

The serpent lowers back into the water and pops back up next to Cynder. The young dragoness is startled and begins to tremble as the large eel like creature gets closer.

He lays another large salmon at her paws, and backs away not to scare her anymore then he has.

"It is an honor to serve the one who helped beat the Dark Master from his latest victim!" He retorts and bows as he returns to the water.

"What is going on here?" Cynder barks with aggravation. "You are trying to get me to lower my guard!"

Malefor lowers his head once again, and slowly walks toward Cynder. The young dragoness strides forward to meet him before he gets to close to her egg, and she rears up on her hind legs.

The dark dragoness swats at Malefor with her claws, and the purple dragon catches her paw before contact.

"I do not want to fight with you Cynder!" he says while looking into her eyes. "If you do not want to stay here...I understand, but I would ask you to remain until you are at least well rested!"

"I can't rest when I'm held against my will!" She replies looking at her paw in his clutches.

Malefor releases her paw and walks over to the river again.

"Take what you want from the river!" He replies with a bit of uneasiness in his voice. "Then follow it toward the back of this cave. You will find a path that leads to the other side of this mountain range. There are no demons to be found...in fact there is nothing to be found on that side of the mountain! You can stay there and starve to death by youself!"

Cynder lowers her head down feeling an awkwardness of being casted out of a place she didn't want to be. She picks up her egg and begins walking along the riverbank to the back of the cave.

Malefor sighs as he watches her leave his protection.

"I just hope the Dark Master hasn't figured out you survived his attack, and that Spyro's child is still alive!" Malefor retorts with one last attempt to keep her here, and it may have worked, as Cynder stops in her tracks.

"But you're the Dark Master?" She replies with confusion, and she can see the depression fill Malefor's expression.

"No...I am not the Dark Master...Nor was I ever!" He replies somberly, and Cynder watches with shock as a tear falls from his eye into the river.

"I was just his puppet!"

She can see the honest feeling of deep regret fill his purple eyes.

"I know you will never believe a word I say to you Cynder, but I must say it!" the purple dragon remarks then turns his head to look at her.

"I felt horrible doing those things I did to you, and I remember every painful moment..." Malefor looks down depressed as he continues his thought "...but I had no control over my actions...and I'm afraid if you leave, then your child will be forced to do the same!"

Cynder lowers her head feeling the conflict within herself. She knows everything about this evil dragon, but he is nothing like the Malefor she once knew. He is showing emotion, and fear for others, not himself. She makes hardest decision of her short motherhood..if only to protect her baby.

"I do not trust you at all!" The young dragoness replies then looks over her shoulder at the wing she is missing. "but I can not survive on my own like this, so I have no choice but to stay"

Cynder lowers her egg to the ground and slowly walks up to Malefor. She grasps the horn on his chin and pulls his head down to stare eye to eye with him.

"But if you go near my child...I WILL KILL YOU!"

* * *

><p>Back in the home in which she never thought she would be in again, her eyes focus upon her son...and judging by his condition she knows what he was forced to do.<p>

"Did you go back to him!" She whispers, and Sparx cringes to the thought of telling his mother.

"I'm sorry, Mom...I had to." He says softly. "I didn't have anywhere else to go after you disappeared...please...forgive me"

"Stop!" Cynder barks and startles everyone in the room. The young mother looks at the Guardian with an angry stare, and he can quickly sense her rage. Her eyes then focus on her husband, and Cynder can feel an uneasy pain in her stomach

"I'm not mad at you...remember, I did the same thing!" She replies softly in her son's ear. Cynder lowers her head down atop of her son, and holds him as tight as she can. "Please, don't let your father know what we were forced to do Sparx! He will not understand!"

Sparx feels his mother lose consciousness as she lays across his back.

"Mom" The young dragon barks, and shakes her body with his paws. He can see her breathing is labored, and that she is exhausted from last 6 months of nearly constant attacks. The purple and black dragon slides out from under his mother then places a gentle paw against her side.

His eyes begin clearing, showing him for the first time...in bright light...the damage done to her.

He places his other paw upon her chest, and a bright glow begin to emanate from his touch. Both Spyro and the Guardian stare in shock at this young dragon's power as Cynder begins to breathe easier.

He grasps her paw gently and whispers into her ear "...get some sleep Mom...you deserve it!"

The young dragon turns to his father and the Guardian with a look of concern.

"She needs medical attention that I can not help her with!" Sparx bellows and begins to lift his mother off the ground.

"NO!" Spyro barks, as he painfully takes his feet. "I will carry her!"

Spyro limps over to his wife staring into the slightly darker eyes of his healthy young son.

"Are you sure you're OK to handle that, sir? I don't want you to hurt her anymore than she is already" Sparx asks with concern, as if some stranger was coming to Cynder's aid.

Spyro looks at him with a bit of anger.

"Sparx...I would walk through hell for her..." He replies softly. The young father places his paw upon the flank of his son, and looks at him with a more understanding gaze...knowing what he must have gone through losing her.

"...As I'm sure you have!"

Spyro's words are much like his mother's and they ring in the heart of the young dragon. He backs away allowing Spyro access to Cynder.

The purple dragon gently leans down to his wife, and strokes his hand down her back.

"Spyro!" She yelps waking up feeling his touch for the first time in 2 years, and the purple dragon lowers his head down upon hers

"Rest Cynder..I have you..." he softly whispers "...and I will never let go!"

The young dragoness turns her head to look her husband in the eye.

"That is what you told me 2 years ago...!" She replies somberly then passes out from exhaustion.

Spyro lowers his head in disgust. He knows this is his fault...if he could have controled his anger...Cynder would have been pulled from the wall, and at this very moment he would be watching her give birth to an egg. Instead, he is looking at a son whose childhood has come and gone, and a wife that has been broken.

The purple dragon slowly backs away from Cynder.

"What is it Dad?" Sparx says, and Spyro feels another deep pain...hearing his son call him father for the first time...without knowing anything about him.

"I can't!" The purple dragon bellows with tears in his eyes. "Maybe you should help her Sparx. I don't think she wants anything to do with me!"

Sparx grabs his Father's arm and holds him tightly The young dragon yanks his father close to whisper in his ear. "No Dad...you are all she ever talked about when I was a baby, and I know she is just upset right now...I can feel it!"

Spyro looks into his son's eyes with bewilderment.

"What do you mean you can feel it" his father replies and Sparx takes hold of Spyro's paw

The purple dragon is startled by a surge of power that begins flowing through his paw and up his arm.

"I learned to regenerate others!" Sparx yelps with a feeling of pride as his father's power begins to increase. He places his other paw on the back of Spyro's neck and stares into his purple eyes. "However, there is a wierd side effect to this transfer of power. When I touch someone like this I can see their thoughts and visions."

Spyro can feel this young dragon's mind communicating with his own, and holds his son's paw tighter against his neck.

Sparx smiles at his Father hearing the thoughts that sweep through his head second by second. Every single though about his love for Cynder, and the young dragon that stands before him now, but then he hits a sore spot, and Spyro can feel the anguish of when the attack first took place.

"NO!" The purple dragon barks, and slaps his son's paw from his neck. "You don't need to see that memory!"

"I'm sorry Dad!" Sparx replies startled. "I didn't mean to do that...I just wanted to know what happened!"

"One day...I might tell you..." Spyro retorts, then presses the buttons on his Skylander communicator. A rift opens in the room leading to the Portal Station, and the medical bay.

Spyro lowers his arms down to Cynder, and lifts his wife in the air. He sternly looks his son in the face. "...But today is not that day!"


	10. Cynder's Nightmare

Chapter 10 Cynder's Nightmare

In the underground Skylander Portal Station's medical bay, Spyro & his son lay side by side on the floor...waiting. Both dragons stare into a window that faces Cynder's room, however, a curtain drawn before her bed blocks their view from a difficult and painstaking procedure. The re-attaching of her right-wing.

Sparx looks up at his father seeing his blood-shot eyes never blinking, watching intently for any movement. He has only known him for half a day, and already he can tell how much love Spyro has for his mother. He has not left his wife's side, regardless of how exhausted he is from his ordeals.

The purple hero faced a dragon that pounded him till he was completely drained, only to be assaulted moments later in his own home. Spyro can barely keep his eyes open, however, the strength Sparx gave him, still pulses throughout his veins, so he can stay with his son...waiting for any word.

"It will be nice to see Mom finally fly..." The young dragon remarks and Spyro turns to see his son with a smile on his face. "...I've never seen her do it before..."

However, the young dragon turns his head down to the ground for a moment and somberly continues.

"Well...she was forced to once...and it almost killed both of us!" Sparx says and chokes back an emotional feeling, remembering the moment she glided with 1 wing while holding him in her arms.

He looks back up at his father, and forces his smile back upon his muzzle.

"We spun in a circle three times and slammed back into the cliff she jumped off...!" Sparx says with a very forced chuckle.

"But now that I can actually think about it...I'm pretty sure she planed to do that!"

Spyro looks at his son as he stares at the curtain blocking his view.

"...however I was scared, Dad!"

Spyro walks over to his son and places his paw upon his side. "Your mother is a very resourceful dragon, and she would never put you or herself in harm's way without having a plan for escape!"

Sparx lowers his head knowing a dark truth he can not talk about, and the harm that Cynder did put herself and Spyro's son in, however, the young dragon quickly changes the subject

"She used to tell me how fast she was...and that she won many races!" Sparx yelps, working hard to keep his smile "Did you ever fly in a race against her!"

"Your Mother won the inaugural speed race at the 1st ever Dragon Games..." Spyro replies as a smile finally crosses his face. His eyes lock upon his son's "...and I was a distant second!"

The black & purple dragon can see his father accessing his memory and he quickly lowers into a position to intently listen to a story about his mother...told by his father.

Meanwhile, as Spyro tells his son of a great moment in his wife's life, Cynder...under sedation...is remembering one of her worst.

* * *

><p>Deep inside the cave, along the back wall of Malefor's hidden valley, the young mother nestles with her egg.<p>

It has been 3 weeks since she has been brought to this paradise of a prison, and Cynder has made sure to stay away from her host...though it has not been difficult.

Malefor has purposely stayed away, never approaching her without a warning. He has asked everyday, from across the river, for her to join him for dinner and everyday she just ignores him.

However, Cynder is not alone in solitude, she still has two friends that will not take no for an answer.

A sea serpent, that she has no clue if he even has a name, that keeps dropping her off a fish every time she asks, and a White German Shepard, that continually talks to her, even if she doesn't want to listen.

Snow has become more and more brazen in her approach to speak with the young dragoness, even as far as to cross the river that she was told not to. Cynder made a fair warning to Malefor that the only way she would stay is if no one came on her side of the valley, but this White German Shepard does not seem to care about her rules.

"Cynder!" The white canine yelps, and the young dragon turns her head to look across the river. "May I cross and speak to you!"

"What's the difference!" She retorts, and turns her head away. "You are just gonna come over her and talk anyway...so why ask?"

"Because...Today I want your permission!" Snow replies calmly.

Cynder returns her attention to the stern look she is receiving from the White Shepard's blue eyes. She can see there is really something on her mind, and Cynder reluctantly nods her head.

"Thank You!" Snow says as she leaps into the river. The stunning white Shepard crosses the fast-moving stream and shakes her body dry as she comes out on the other side. Snow slowly walks over to Cynder and her egg.

The young dragon rears up as she starts to get to close. "Back off, Snow!" Cynder yelps. "I can hear you from there!"

"I'm not here to talk!" The white dog barks, and Cynder quickly becomes angry.

"Then what do you want!" The dragoness replies hastily, and lowers to the ground showing her teeth...ready to pounce.

Snow does not show any fear...she simply raises her nose and gives and over-dramatic sniff.

"Your wing is infected!...I can smell it" She replies as Snow catches the order of rotting flesh. By her reaction...She can tell Cynder smells it too. "Will you please let me take a look at that...before it's too late!"

"NO!" Cynder barks sharply "I'll be fine!"

The White Shepard gets angry at her response.

"NO YOU WON'T!" She hollers and Cynder is startled by her outburst. She has never seen this calm canine lose her temper once, since arriving, and Cynder has tested her patience several times...even as far as slapping her away.

Snow sits down on her hind quarters and stares down the taller black dragoness.

"If you don't let me take care of that...YOU WILL DIE!" Snow bellows with a stern deep voice, and walks straight up to Cynder. "Then you will have given Malefor your egg...is that what you want?"

Cynder's eyes open wide, hearing the bluntness in Snow's comment.

"No...I don't!" She replies somberly, then looks down at the small dog before her. "But what can you do to help me?"

"Nothing!" She yelps with a smile. "That is until you lower yourself down here...where I can see it!"

Cynder chuckles for a second, but then begins to feel bad. This small dog has braved up to someone nearly fifty times her size, and all she ever wanted to do was help her injury.

All Cynder would do is ignore her, or yell back, or just plain attack her.

"I'm sorry!" The young dragon cries, and lowers her belly to the ground "I've been terrible to you."

"Don't worry about that young lady!" She whispers in Cynder's ear. "I have been treated far worse. You can't stop me with a few shoves and a couple of bad names!"

Snow walks beside the young dragoness, finally able to survey the damage done. She winces at the site of multiple scars that cover her back and legs, many still fresh from the last assault while she was giving birth. Snow slowly climbs up Cynder's back towards her wing, and the dark dragoness is startled as she barely feels this decent sized dog walking atop her body.

"This is going to sting a bit, but then it will all go away...I promise!" Snow whispers softly, and begins to clean the wound with her tongue.

Cynder shutters from the initial intense pain, and yelps for her to stop, but Snow is determined to clean the infection from the broken stub of her right-wing.

The young dragoness bucks up on her hind legs and the white canine is easily thrown from her back.

"I said stop!" Cynder barks as Snow tumbles hard to the ground.

The young dragoness quickly turns to the white Shepard and can see that she is hurt from the fall.

However, Cynder begins to feel worse about what she just did, as the pain in her wing begins to subside completely.

"Oh no!" Cynder yelps seeing Snow stand back up with a gimpy leg. "I did it to you again!"

"That's OK Cynder...Maybe I should have warned you better than that!" The white Shepard remarks with a smile. "I'm sure that was more painful than you were expecting!"

Snow begins licking her injured paw, and Cynder can see a glow coming from her mouth. Much like a dragon, her power comes from her muzzle. The sound of bones cracking into place send shivers down Cynder's spine, as Snow then lowers her healed paw back to the ground.

"There that's better!" Snow remarks then gestures her healed paw at Cynder to get back down on her stomach. "Now can I finish what I started..or do you plan on tossing me off again!"

Cynder shakes her head in awe, and quickly lowers to her stomach. The White Shepard leaps upon the dragoness' back once again, and continues where she left off.

"Where did you...owww...get this power!" Cynder asks through her treatment, and Snow does not answer right away, she thoroughly cleans the broken wing then strides up Cynder's long neck to her head.

"I was given many different powers when I was taken..." The white Shepard replies, and begins licking another nasty cut to the back of Cynder's neck. "...but this power has always been mine, and I will never use those other powers anymore!"

The young dragon shutters once again from the sting of her initial touch, but Cynder is more confused than in pain.

"What do you mean...Taken?" The dragoness asks with concern

Snow stops her healing touch and lays down on Cynder's neck, She lowers her head to the young mother's ear.

"You believe Malefor to be the Dark Master...right!" Snow replies and Cynder slightly nods her head yes. "Then would you also be surprised to know, that for the last 3 weeks, you have been getting your fill of fish from...the Dark Master "

Cynder turns her head around to look her new friend in the eye.

"That's right...Your friendly little sea serpent there was once under the Dark Master's control!" Snow tells Cynder then lowers her head down to whisper in her ear softly.

"And so was I!"

Cynder's eyes lock on those of the creature laying upon her neck.

"What?" She barks with scepticism

"Yes, Cynder...I too was under his control, long before Malefor!" Snow replies and begins licking several other smaller cuts to the side of Cynder's head.

"This is not possible!" Cynder retorts

"Why?" Snow bellows as she stops once more. "Is it that hard to believe that long ago I was forced to kill without having any control over my actions! That I could be forced to destroy my home and kill the ones I loved...all the while, seeing my action as his mindless servant."

The White Shepard drops from Cynder's neck and walks around face to face with the large dragoness.

"Because of my size, many never thought me as a threat! But I was fast and powerful, and he took advantage of that!" She somberly says to the young dragoness, feeling a release in telling someone...other then Malefor...about her early life.

"Most never knew how close they were to death until they were gone." Snow says with a thousand yard stare in her eyes, remembering the countless lives she destroyed "And I can see every single one of my victim's shocked expressions as I sleep at night."

Cynder reaches out her right paw and pets the white Shepard crying before her. She lifts her lowered head gently with a her talon and stares into her teary blue eyes.

"I didn't know!" The dark dragon remarks with sadness in her voice.

Snow smiles seeing the compassion in Cynder's eyes for a former Dark Master, but then suddenly Cynder's eyes show anger, as she spots Malefor flying towards the back of the valley. The young dragoness once again starts becoming defensive.

The sound of the purple dragon landing across the river, startles the white Shepard and she turns around.

"What do you want Malefor!" Snow barks with a bit of anger in her voice, knowing he may have damaged any progress she is making with Cynder.

"Forgive my interruption, Snow, but I've come to make my daily futile attempt of being a proper host!" Malefor replies with sarcasm. "Cynder...I'm sure you're not interested in a warm meal, so I shall just leave you two alone! Good Day!"

The purple dragon once again opens his wings and begins to fly off.

"WAIT!" Cynder yelps, and Malefor stops dead in mid-flight with a look of surprise that she even said a word to him.

"I am getting tired of raw fish!" The young dragoness remarks to her new friend, then looks up at Malefor. "When should I be there!"

The purple dragon lowers to the ground in shock, and a huge smile crosses his muzzle. Malefor is so startled he fumbles his words to the young dragoness.

"It...umm...I...aahh...should have everything ready...in an hour or so!"

"An Hour!" Cynder replies with no emotion, then looks down at Snow. She answers his question still not looking him in the eye.

"Very well...I will be there.!"

Malefor lowers his head with a nod of appreciation, then quickly takes off towards the front of his cave.

"Cynder!" Snow barks with surprise of her own. "You know he will want to talk to you, so if you are not willing to...I would suggest you not come!"

"I think it's time I try listening, before I make another bad decision." Cynder replies and Snow places her paw upon the young dragon's cheek.

"Good" The white Shepard says as she rub her body up against Cynder's neck, then leaps upon her back once more. Snow lowers her head down to the young dragoness' ear

"I promise...he will behave himself, or I will take care of him...OK!"

Cynder smiles and lowers her entire body to the ground...allowing Snow to continue her healing touches.

From that moment on, Cynder realized that she had a friend to watch out for her, and that being in this prison may not be as bad as she once feared.

For over a year, the 3 former Dark Masters catered to the young dragon, and her newly hatched son, Sparx. Cynder has gained much of her weight back and is healthy as she can be. Her strength has returned as well, but the magic she used when first coming has still not been replenished. Other than that, and with the exception of not seeing her husband or the many friends she has made on Avalar, Cynder is almost feeling at home in her new surroundings.

Until one day...when that all changed.

The young mother watches her son playing around with the her new canine friend, and smiles as Sparx tries to catch the much faster Snow. She playful leads him around in a wild goose chase, and the young whelpling becomes frustrated. He has never caught her

The uncoordinated 9 month old, falls on his face several times trying to keep up, and starts to feel a rage burning inside from his failure.

"Come on little fella...you're never gonna catch me it you keep falling on your face!" Snow bellows with a sarcastic smile.

The young whelpling becomes further enraged knowing he can stop her, but only by doing something he was told not to. However, his youthfulness gets the better of the baby dragon, and he begins charging his powers...for an attack.

Sparx sits up on his hind legs and opens his mouth wide. Cynder can feel a familiar energy building inside her son and quickly jumps to her paws.

"SNOW LOOK OUT!" The dark dragoness screams, as a blast of fire comes from her young son's muzzle.

"Oh my goodness!" Snow yelps, turning to see a the raging plume coming straight at her. She freezes in the moment seeing no possible way to avoid being burned.

Suddenly, Malefor comes from out of nowhere, and dives in between the plume of fire and his best friend. He scoops the small dog up in his paw, before the blast from the young whelpling gets close enough to even singe her white fur.

Malefor places Snow on the ground gently as he lands, and stares at the young son of Spyro with anger.

"I told you never to use that power!" He yells at the little whelpling, and Cynder is quickly in Malefor's face.

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO MY SON LIKE THAT!" She screams, but then is taken by the thought that her son just used MAGIC.

"Wait a minute!" Cynder yelps as she looks down at her scared son. "How did he get that Magic power?...He was not born with it...AND WHO TAUGHT HIM TO USE AN ELEMENTAL ATTACK!"

The large purple dragon lowers his head, knowing he has overstepped his bounds, and broke the rules that Cynder laid out for him.

Malefor was not allowed anywhere near Sparx, and the last thing she ever wanted was for him to teach her son anything.

"I taught him how to use his power, and gave him some of my magic!" Snow yelps taking Cynder's attention from the one Dark Master she does not like...knowing Malefor is really to blame. "I'm sorry Cynder...that's my fault!"

The young mother stares into the blue eyes of her new best friend...and she can quickly tell.

"Why are you lying to me?" Cynder asks as a tear begins to form in the corner of her green eyes, feeling betrayed by the only one she's cared about.

"You don't need to lie for me, Snow! I want her to be able to trust you!" The purple dragon bellows. "Please Cynder, she is just trying to protect me!"

"I'm...sorry ... I just...!" The White Shepard somberly states, then closes her eyes and turns away with shame.

"I taught your son how to use some of his abilities!" Malefor barks with a stern tone in his voice. "I had to Cynder..."

"YOU HAD NO RIGHT!" Cynder barks cutting him off, but Malefor puts his paw over Cynder's mouth and for the first time since her arrival becomes aggressive to her.

"YES I DID!" He hollers back, and Cynder yelps from his tight grip. "I will need his help if we are going to survive, and yours for that matter as well...SO HE MUST START LEARNING NOW!"

"What are you talking about survive?" Snow barks from the background hearing the tone in Malefor's voice.

"The Dark Master knows they are here, so the attacks will be coming much stronger than before!"

Snow walks up to her old friend with fear in her eyes, and Cynder becomes worried seeing this reaction from the normally calm white Shepard

"The attacks have already been overwhelming to you Malefor!" She yelps knowing the amount of time she spent healing his wounds after the last assault. "What can we do if even you can not stop them!"

"I don't know!" Malefor replies as he looks into her eyes "...but I do know one thing...Cynder, you and Sparx must be ready to leave at a moments notice!"

The purple dragon returns his attention to the young dragoness standing before him, and the whelpling now in her arms.

"If he gets his hands on Spyro's son...the dragon realms will suffer greatly!" Malefor turns to the mouth of the cave and begins walking away. "Cynder...I must show you something...so please don't argue, just leave your son here with Snow, and follow me!"

Cynder looks down at her friend, and seeing the concern upon her face, the young dragon quickly lowers Sparx down beside the white Shepard, and follows her old enemy. She wants to know what has gone on behind her back.

Malefor has gone to great lengths to keep the brutal truth from her, but now he knows her time to recuperate is over. The attacks against his home have increased since the day the egg cracked open, releasing a powerful young dragon. However, being inside the tranquil valley, Cynder has no clue that Malefor has been fighting nearly non stop for the last 9 months.

"The day he was born I was searching for some food and supplies nearly a hundred miles away!" Malefor tells Cynder as she walks along side the large purple dragon. "I felt his power like he was standing next to me, but so did every evil creature in this hell!"

The two dragons walk into the small room in the front of the hidden valley. Cynder can already hear the howling noises coming from outside the cave below.

"What is that?" She asks with puzzlement and concern.

"Take a look, Cynder, but be careful!" Malefor replies

The dark dragoness slowly steps over to the mouth of the cave and can see the swarm of millions of demons gathered at the base of the mountain.

"By the ancestors!" She barks with fear, and backs away from the ledge quickly.

"That is not what I wanted you to see Cynder!" Malefor tells her, then walks to a solid wall of granite. With his earth power the massive dragon pushes a large section of rock to the side revealing another room behind...a bright green light comes from the newly exposed area.

"This is what I NEED you to see!"

The young dragoness cautiously follows Malefor into the back room, but is startled the moment she crosses the threshold of the door. Her eyes light up seeing a large bunch of magic-filled ancestral crystals nestled in the corner, filling the room with their vibrant green glow. There is also a small pool of water barely an inch deep with a flat calm surface like a table top.

Malefor walks over to the pool and begins to stare into the water.

"Please Cynder, recharge your magic...this will take a moment!"

The young dragoness walks over to the cluster of gems and rears back her paw to strike them, but she holds for a second still unsure of Malefor's loyalty.

"Why did you not show me these crystals before!" She asks, and Malefor breaks his concentration hearing the anger in her voice.

"I didn't trust you...Cynder!" Malefor replies and hunches his shoulder with disgust in himself

Cynder lowers her head and remains silent though she wants to blow her top. She releases her anger upon the cluster of gems before her. Malefor can sense her rage as the shards of crystal fly in every direction with great force.

The energy quickly absorbs into the young dragoness who has been starving for magic power nearly one and half years.

As she gets her entire fill of Magic, Cynder slowly turns to see the pool before Malefor is now glowing with light, and an image she has starved even longer to see.

"Spyro!" She cries with joy

He is staring directly up from the pool and Cynder realizes she is looking at her home, seeing what her statue frozen in the wall is seeing.

Spyro is holding her wing and tears are frozen in time on his cheeks, but the look in his eyes strike Cynder through the heart.

"He is going to blame himself for this Cynder!" Malefor softly says, and looks at the young dragoness. "He was not in control of his actions, and you must make sure he knows that...!"

"How do you know what my husband is going to THINK Malefor?" Cynder barks with anger at his assumption. "You know nothing about him!"

"You're wrong Cynder!" He replies and returns his eyes to the shallow pool of water. "I see those eyes every time I look at my reflection in the river."

Malefor shows the same stare with his purple eyes that she can see in the pool from her husband. It is a look of complete helplessness, and despair.

"I know exactly what he feels right now Cynder...!"

The young dragon looks away no longer wanting any part in what Malefor is showing her. She is upset at her predicament to begin with, but now having the strain of seeing her husband's suffering as well, it almost feels like he is trying to incite her.

"What did you mean before when you said that you didn't trust me!" Cynder remarks as she watches the crystals she destroyed already grow back. "I mean it seems you have an abundant source of crystals here, Malefor...Why did you not let me recharge myself when I first got here?"

The purple dragon again sighs as she becomes defensive with him.

"I was afraid that you would have hidden yourself from me, and I would have no chance at redemption!"

Cynder disappears into the shadows in the blink of an eye and Malefor closes his eyes in disgust.

Suddenly 3 claw marks appear on the left cheek of the massive purple dragon, and he grasps his muzzle in pain.

Cynder uncloaks her body from the shadows, and wraps her left paw around Malefor's neck. She opens her right paw in front of the eyes of her old master, and shows her sharpened black talons.

"Why would you ever think you could redeem yourself for what you did to me..." She barks loudly and directly into his ear.

Cynder digs her claws into the scales of his neck, but does not penetrate the skin underneath "...I Should just kill you! That is the only redemption I will have."

Malefor lifts his paw to his neck and grasps Cynder's arm. He turns his head forcing her claws into his neck further, and Cynder is startled. His weathered purple eyes stare at her coldly.

"All you would be doing...is ending MY suffering Cynder, so by all means...DO IT!" He bellows with a dead calm voice.

"However, as my hell will finally end...your son's will have just begun...and there is nothing you can do to stop it unless you listen to me!"

Cynder can see the blood begin trickling down his neck, and can hear an almost eagerness in his voice for her to either just do it, or finally listen.

"But you ruined my life!" She whispers with pain, still unsure herself, if she is going to end his suffering.

"That...is something we have common Cynder!" Malefor retorts, his voice still dead calm.

The young dragoness begins releasing tension on her choke hold, however, Cynder still has her claws firmly embedded in his throat as a voice from their right startles both dragons.

"Mommy...Stop!" Sparx cries and quickly trots into the room. He broke free from his babysitter, Snow, who is embarrassed as she enters after him.

Sparx is alarmed seeing his mother in such an aggressive posture against the purple dragon. He has never seen Malefor be anything but gracious to his mother, so why is she attacking him...but something deeper is bothering the young whelpling.

Cynder seeing his emotional state, calms down and leaps from Malefor's neck, she quickly meets her son half way across the room, and hugs him tightly.

"I'm sorry you had to see that Sparx!" Cynder whispers in his ear to comfort him, but she can feel a shuttering in his body that even her embrace can not stop

"What's the matter, baby?" She asks and looks deep into his panicked eyes.

"I don't understand!" Sparx remarks then shuts his eyes tightly, and becomes very apprehensive. He is finally going to ask a question that he has never asked, still wondering about himself and his surroundings, and why he is remarkably similar to this dragon she is attacking.

"Isn't he my DAD?"

Cynder's body begins to shutter harder than her son's, and Sparx knows the answer without a word spoken.

The uncertain words her young son bellows, cut through Cynder like a blade, and the young mother just thinks to herself...

_"What have I done!" _

Cynder turns her eyes to Malefor, and he immediately can see her rage.

"NO!" He somberly yelps as Cynder grabs her son tightly, then once again disappears into the shadows.

The sound of her footsteps echo towards the cave entrance, and Malefor becomes gravely concerned, as he knows there is no where for her to go...but straight down.

The blood curdling sound of Sparx yelling with fear, as Cynder leaps from the high perch, sends a chill down Malefor's spine.

He has helped the young dragon for only a few weeks and already he feels a strong bond with the son of Spyro, but the thought he has for hurting Cynder again, overtakes the large purple dragon.

Malefor runs to the mouth of his cave and looks down for any sign of the black and red dragon in her daring leap to get away.

"CYNDER!" He screams from high above, hoping she would falter and show herself. However, he can not see a sign of the 2 dragons falling to the ground.

Malefor becomes concerned with the millions of demons at the base of his mountain, even if Cynder was to survive this jump, she would be quickly overwhelmed in seconds.

The purple dragon leaps from his perch and zips to the ground at great speed.

The swarm of dog-like demons begin to frenzy in anticipation of the dragon coming down from the mountain. They open a hole in their masses allowing the large dragon to land.

Malefor pays no attention to them...he just scans the skies and the ground for any sign of Cynder as she returns to the valley floor. Hundreds of small dog-like demons pour atop the large dragon from several platforms above his head, these creatures are relentless in their attacks, but Malefor is still not paying much attention to them.

"CYNDER!" He screams again, but then barks with pain as one demon bites a sensitive area on his neck. Malefor grasps the Shepard-like demon and crushes him in his paw, whipping him into the ground at the mob of creatures swarming him.

The large purple dragon begins flapping his arms and wings to keep the area around him clear. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Cynder as she makes it to the ground, or at least be able to see the group of demons attacking her so he can rescue the cloaked dragon.

"Please Cynder!" He yelps, and flails his arms harder to clear his view, however the demons become even more aggressive.

Malefor, not seeing his guest or her son, fears the worst. An overwhelming sensation of loss befalls him and no longer struggles to stop this attack. The large purple dragon gives in to the millions of demons...allowing them to finally end his suffering. Malefor is inundated by the swarm, and they pull the full-sized purple dragon to the ground on his back.

The small angry creatures burrow into his mouth and nose to suffocate him as fast as they can.

From high up on the ledge of his home, Malefor can hear the faint screams of his best friend and only the regret he will have to leave behind.

He looks up at the White Shepard, and she looks down upon him. Snow can see the disdain in his purple eyes, and realizes that he is finally giving up.

"NO!" The white Shepard barks from above, but Malefor ignores her cries.

He knows she will be upset at his choice, however, Snow has lived for thousands of years before Malefor, and she will learn to adapt.

_"At least you will have a place to survive this time, my friend."_ The large dragon says to himself with a smile.

However, as Malefor stares at his distraught friend, a slight movement catches his eye. He watches as a few rocks fall from a ledge just below the mouth of his cave.

"Cynder!" He says to himself, shocked at seeing the young dragoness clinging to the wall with her child in hand.

The site of her and Sparx still alive, sends a pulse of pure adrenaline through him.

Malefor tries to struggle to his feet, but the swarm of evil creatures will not let him up. The mass upon his body is too great for him to roll off his back and more demons continue to pile on.

She was not stupid, and had no plans of heading to the ground, but she had to get away from an influence she does not want on her son. The dark dragoness spiraled several times, cloaked in shadow, then speared her talons into the cliff.

Cynder now watches from her high perch, holding Sparx tightly to her chest, not allowing him to see this vicious attack.

However, the young dragoness is in shock, as she realizes she is also sympathetic and has feelings of remorse...for Malefor. Seeing him enveloped by these relentless creatures, a cold thought that she is to blame for his death, becomes unsettling.

Suddenly, a rumble from below, and a familiar power that Cynder has not felt in years begins to surge from the valley.

The dragoness' green eyes focus squarely upon the pile of demons swarmed atop the large purple dragon. With a vast explosion of power, Malefor stands back upon his feet.

A glow surrounds his body, and slowly the purple scales of this impressive dragon turn jet black.

He turns his head up to stare at Cynder with his blank white pupils, then looks away.

Malefor draws upon the power of Convexity, and focuses a shock-wave of power in every direction...except towards his mountain

Cynder watches in awe, as the entire valley is wiped clean of any and every living thing by the powerful wave of pure energy.

Malefor stands in the epicenter of the destruction, and slowly begins to flap his wings. The large dragon gains altitude, and Cynder once again becomes nervous.

The purple dragon stops as he approaches her, and hovers a few feet away.

"I have given you a way out Cynder...If you are going to leave, please do not take time in your decision!" He bellows with a deep depression. Malefor turns his head towards Cynder and can see she is just as distraught as he is. "I'm sorry for what I have done...and do not blame you for wanting to leave"

The old dragon stops his speech and turns his attention to the set of purple eyes that are gazing at him from under his mother.

Malefor lowers his head to break eye contact, and Cynder is startled as a tear rolls from his eye down his cheek.

"I know he is not MY SON, and I know that you want me to have nothing to do with his upbringing! So it is best that I stay out of his life!" Malefor somberly bellows, then turns his head to look Cynder in the eye one last time. "Good Luck my former foe and one time friend...please be careful!"

Cynder is overcome with raw emotion

The young dragoness is happy as she watches Malefor fly away...finally leaving her and her son alone. However, at the same time, she is upset at how she has treated him. Even thought, deep in her heart, she could never forgive him...he was a gracious host, and did much to keep her and Sparx alive.

Cynder is also fearful of the unknown, trying to survive in a land that has nothing to offer, giving up the one place that she could guarantee her child would be able to eat.

And the young dragoness is also heartbroken...she is leaving a good friend behind...Snow. A strong-willed female whose heart was twenty times her size.

Malefor suddenly stops after only a few feet, startling Cynder from her thought.

"I will still be watching Cynder, and you will always be welcome to return!" He retorts with a smile, and the young mother feels a slight relief, knowing she now has 'the option' to come back.

"Thank You Malefor!" Cynder answers with the most respectful tone she has ever spoken to her former master. "And I'm sorry too...but I have to do this!"

Malefor hovers in place, and says not a word. He looks down at the young dragoness cradling her son, and once again a tear falls from his eye.

"I understand!" He softly replies, then smiles as his reddish gold wings begin flapping harder to lift him up to his cave. "Spyro is a lucky dragon, Cynder...and I hope he will meet his son soon!"

Before he become to emotional Malefor takes off like a shot, and Cynder watches him disappear into his high cave.

The young dragoness slowly releases the grip she has on her son and relaxes for a moment on the ledge she perched herself on.

Still nearly a thousand feet up, Cynder has a perfect view of her surroundings. The valley is completely devoid of any activity thanks to Malefor, and Cynder can see a path that she will be able to walk down.

"Easy Baby!" Cynder tells the shaking whelpling under her body, and she begins licking the tears from his face. "Everything will be OK Sparx!"

"I'm sorry Mom!" He whimpers with fear that this is his fault. "I didn't know...!"

"Shhhhhhh!" the young mother whispers in his ear and covers his muzzle gently with her large paw. "That was my fault Sparx...I should have told you a long time ago, that he was not your father...but...I was afraid..."

The young dragon pulls his mother's paw from his mouth, hearing her long dramatic pause.

"Afraid of what Mommy!" Sparx asks with concern seeing his mother begin crying.

Cynder holds her son tightly and tells him her worst nightmare.

"I'm afraid that we may be here forever, and that you will never get a chance to meet your father!"

* * *

><p>Back in the medical bay, Cynder wakes from the painful thought in her memory.<p>

However, her pain is not just from a memory

Cynder turns her head slowly to the right and is startled at the sight she has not seen in over 2 years. Her right-wing, heavily bandaged and very sore, but it is there, and she can feel it.

"CCYYNNDDEERR AARREE YYOOUU OOKK!" A voice slowly and creepily calls to her from the left, and Cynder turns her attention to an odd looking man with pointed ears.

"I'm Doctor Stanley, and you are in a Skylander medical bay!" His voice becomes a bit more coherent but still fuzzy to her. "Can you hear me?"

Cynder is zonked out of her mind on pain killers, but she nods her head slowly to let him know she can hear his question.

However, the young dragoness can also hear something else. Something that quickly takes her attention...Laughter. And not just any laughter, it is a laugh she has not heard in years, and one that she recognizes right away from her husband.

Cynder again slowly turns her head towards the window of her room and is overwhelmed by a sight the young mother never thought she'd see.

A sight that sends a warm feeling deep into her soul, taking away the terrible chill of the nightmare she just had

Sparx is laying across his father's back, talking in his ear with a big smile.

A deep sigh of relief comes from her muzzle, and she turns back to the doctor.

"They seem to like each other!" She remarks, still whacked out of her mind on pain medication, and the Doctor smiles at her.

"It's been over a day of surgery, Cynder, and they have not left that room." The doctor replies, and walks over to the dark purple & red dragoness. He grasps her paw gently, and looks deep into her eyes. "Even when your husband passed out from complete exhaustion, your son just laid beside him and slept."

Cynder smiles and looks back at her family.

She chuckles as Sparx tries to playful bite his father's horn, like he would do to her when he was young, but then Spyro jostles his body, and flips Sparx over his back with a loud crash.

She can hear her son laughing, and realizes they are still playing.

"Can I see them Doctor?" She asks while slightly laughing herself.

"NO...Not yet Cynder...I need you to rest a little longer!" He replies with a solid grip of her paw, knowing his answer is not the one she wanted to hear. "I can not give you any more medications, either. I'm afraid if I give you another sedative you could slip into a coma, so I need you to just relax and get some sleep."

"Can I watch them until I fall asleep!" She asks apprehensively, and the doctor chuckles at yet another question asked by her drug induced state.

"Of course you can, Cynder, but only if you promise me you'll get some sleep!" The Doctor replies with a bit of sarcasm, and walks out the door.

"I don't think that will be a problem!' She replies to no one in the room.

The heavily sedated dragon can feel her eyelids lowering again, but is not afraid to fall asleep for once. Seeing her husband and son playing and hearing they have not left each others side, Cynder is sure she will finally experience...good dreams.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for the hits, nearly 2000 since the rewrite startled last month. But how bout telling me what you think.<strong>

**Love to hear from ya **

**PS...I will be removing the old story with the next chapter. ****I've been think to myself...that it might not be a good idea to leave an idea of how the story will end out there for you all to read...kinda defeats the purpose of having a chapter end with a cliffhanger**


	11. Visiting Hours

**Sorry for the delay, but I finally got my power back on 5 days after the storm.**

**Sandy, the name most people give their dog, just bit me pretty good. New Jersey will recover, and so will I, but...**

**I have seen things I never thought I'd see. A restaurant that I have gone to for years, floated across the street, and into the 7-11 parking lot. **

**Seaside Heights, yes Jersey shore fans, that Seaside Heights...is GONE. **

**On a more personal note, ****My old house...that I lived in for 5 years is also gone. **

*****see picture on deviant art...the1upguy*** **

**As I sit for hours, waiting for 10 gallons of gas...I can say I am thankful for still having a home, so I don't feel so bad, sitting back at MY computer and sleeping in MY bed**

* * *

><p>Chapter 11 Visiting Hours<p>

Laying in a hospital bed, in and out of consciousness, Cynder has spent nearly 3 days away from her family...separated by just a simple window. Now, that pane of glass feels like it is miles thick.

"When can I see them?" Cynder asks the nurse that is checking her pulse.

"You can see them through the window for now!" The nurse coldly replies, hearing this question for the hundredth time. "When the doctor says you're out of danger...he will let them in here but not a moment earlier!"

Cynder looks down in depression being yelled at for just wanting her family's company.

The pointy eared nurse can hear her give a deep sorrowful sigh, and feels the sharp change in her pulse. The young women dressed in pure white lowers her head as well.

"I'm so sorry Cynder! I didn't mean to snap like that" She continues with a great deal of humbleness in her voice. "It's been a long few days, and I have not slept much, you've given us quite a scare...twice, but thankfully I think you are almost out of woods!"

The nurse continues her work adjusting her medication, and checking the information displayed on Cynder's vital statistics. The young woman lowers her hand down to lift Cynder's muzzle, and she smiles at the young dragoness as their eyes meet.

"And judging by these number...I don't think you will have too much longer to wait before you can TALK to them!" She tells her with a great deal of joy in her voice, and winks her right eye at the young dragon. "In fact...I gonna go find Dr. Stanley right now, OK!"

Cynder's smile fills her face in the nurse's gentle hand. She releases her narrow muzzle, and walks to the door. However, as the door opens wide, the young nurse turns her head back to her patient.

"Now...don't go anywhere!" She barks with seriousness, and Cynder rolls her eyes with a chuckle of laughter.

"I promise!" The young dragoness replies sarcastically, and the nurse smiles large. She can see that Cynder is now completely in control of her wits, not groggy or incoherent as before.

"I think you better get ready for visitors, Cynder!" She says confidently. "You seem to have you're senses with you, and I see no problem with your vitals. I'm sure the doctor will allow you a visitor...or 2!"

"Really!" Cynder bellows with relief and the young nurse nods her head. "Thank the ancestors!"

Suddenly a look of confusion falls over the nurse's face and she turns around quickly...looking out the open door.

"What is it?" Cynder barks with a puzzled look as the nurse checks down the hall.

"Nothing...I guess!" She replies, still with a confused look upon her face. "I though I felt a gust of wind..."

The nurse shakes her head and walks over to the thermostat on the wall, rasing the temperature in the room. "...This underground station stinks...it's so damn drafty! Anyway...I will be back in a few minutes, and again I'm sorry for bef...!"

"Don't worry about before..." The young dragoness barks cutting the apologetic nurse off.

"...I can be a pain in the butt...just ask my husband!" Cynder says with a laugh. "I'm sorry!"

She begins to feel excited...knowing that the doctor may finally say YES, and she will be able to talk to her husband & son. With great anticipation she watches as the nurse smiles and turns from her room.

Cynder gazes out to the waiting room at the foot of her bed and the window she has seen and felt the emotion of her family, not being able to come inside to comfort her.

However, a look of confusion fills her face seeing only Spyro laying outside the large picture window, sleeping. The dark dragoness was sure Sparx was laying beside him only a moment ago.

"Where did Sparx go?" She yelps out loud, with an upset tone in her voice. She is finally going to be able to have them in her room, and all of a sudden now, her son decides to leave?

"I'm right here, Mom!" His voice softly whispers, and her son appears from out of the SHADOW he cast upon himself.

The shock on Cynder's face is quick to disappear...to a look of pure joy.

"Sparx!" She yelps seeing her son standing by her side.

"Hi Mom!" He whispers and gently lays his head down upon her chest. His dark purple paws slowly envelop her body and he hugs her softer then his words.

"I missed you so much!"

Cynder looks her son up and down, from the tip of his nose to the point of his tail. She can see the same dragon she left behind, just that he is more than 10 times the size. She lifts his head with her weak grip and Sparx raises up with her movement.

"It appears...I missed much more than you!" Cynder cries and lowers his head back to her red chest. The upset mother cranes her head atop of his, like she would do when he was afraid.

Only this time, it is Cynder who is afraid.

"My baby is not a baby anymore!" She says with deep sadness and worry. "How long has it been Sparx?"

"6 years!" Her son replies and Cynder squeezes him tighter then before.

"And how long were you with him?" She asks with fear.

Sparx raise up from his mother's grasp, knowing he will disappoint her with his answer.

"The whole time, Mom...the whole time!" Sparx closes his eyes with the sight of his mother's disappointed look.

"I had no choice after you disappeared!" He says softly, but Cynder snaps at her son.

"I don't want to hear about it!" She barks feeling rage for her choice of even letting Malefor see her son. Cynder turns to Sparx and can see the despair in his eyes, she quickly grabs him and pulls his muzzle back to her neck. The dark dragoness looks out the window at her husband and begins to feel regret.

"Not yet...Sparx...please, not today! I can't..."

"OK Mom! I will wait until you are ready!"

Even though he has lived a different life the last 6 years, the young mother can still feel the same shaking in her son when he is worried or preoccupied with a disturbing thought.

"Calm down baby...I'm not mad at you..." Cynder yelps trying to stop her son's shuttering. "I'm mad myself! I never should have put you in that position!"

"No Mom, you had no choice either..." Sparx says in her grasp. He raises up to turn his head towards the window at the dragon his mother is still staring at "...and from the little bit I know about my father..." Sparx once again turns to face her and show his mother the same confident purple eyes she has seen many times from her husband...and from Malefor.

"...he will understand!" A smile fills his features and his gaze becomes more relaxed, reminding Cynder of his youthfulness. "I sure of it!"

"I don't know Sparx...!" Cynder whispers. "...there is a lot of anger in your father for what he did to me when I was your age...I mean...when I was a whelpling!"

Sparx turns his head to look at his father once again, sleeping in the waiting room, the same place he has spent the last 3 days.

"Well...I don't think he is ever going to leave you...regardless of what you tell him Mom!" Sparx yelps then again returns that stern gaze from before. "However, I did notice first hand, that he does not like when someone keeps a secret from him! He knows I'm keeping one, and it hurts to lie to my Father, especially when I'm still just getting to know him."

Sparx turns his head back once more to stare at Spyro. "I mean...how can he trust me if I can't be straight with him from day one"

"What are you lying to him about?!" Cynder quips with slight wonderment.

"He keeps asking how I survived by myself for so long...!" Sparx says with anger, knowing the Guardian opened his mouth about someone else with the young dragon

"He knows I was not alone, but he does not know who I was with, and you told me not to say anything, so I haven't!" Sparx lowers his head with depression, then turns a teary eye to his mother "But I hate this! Please, Mom! Don't make him wait for the truth if he asks, because I want to speak to my father with a clear conscience!"

Cynder again grabs her child and holds him as tight as she can.

"I will...I promise!" She whispers in his ear. "But only if you're with me when I tell him, Sparx!"

"Of course, Mom!" He replies and slowly backs away from her chest. The young dragon lays down on his stomach next to her bed keeping his head up for her to look at him. "I will stay right here!"

Cynder smiles at her son's pure devotion to her...even after such a long absence of her presence. She reaches her paw out to his muzzle, and rubs the bridge of his nose. Sparx lowers his head down on her bed with the pure enjoyment of his favorite place to be scratched.

She flashes back to one of the few decent memories she had in her nightmarish hell, and it reminds her of a good friend. The only thing that made her time with Malefor bearable.

"How is Snow doing, Sparx?" She asks with a smile, seeing in her memory the white Shepard's smiling face as Sparx hatched from his egg. "I never had a chance to say goodbye!"

Sparx immediately becomes apprehensive, picking his head up from his mother's bed, and backing away from her gentle touch. The look on his face is one of complete despair, and Cynder doesn't even need to hear a word spoken.

"Oh no!" She yelps and her heart begins to race. "What happened?"

Sparx pauses for a moment and Cynder becomes even more anxious seeing his reaction. Her son looks like he wants to run and hide, and not tell his mother what he did.

"It was my fault Mom!" Sparx replies with nearly a sound to his voice, and tears begin to pour from his eyes uncontrollably.

"HEY" A voice bellows from behind, startling both dragons.

"What are you doing in here Sparx?" Dr. Stanley remarks with anger, then walks over to the display screen that show Cynder's vitals are going up. "I told you your mother needed rest, and the last thing she needs is for you to get her excited! Now you will have to leave, and I will have to sedate her!"

"NO! I'm sorry, doctor..." Sparx yelps feeling an unbelievable regret for overstepping his authority. "...I promise I will leave but you have to let my father talk to her first. Please I can't go out there and explain that I kept him away from her any longer then he has been."

Dr. Stanley can see the deep feeling of sorrow in the eyes of the young dragon, almost like the eyes of his friend laying in the waiting room.

"Remarkable" He says with a snicker "You're just like your father!"

He turns his attention to Cynder, and with a smile calmly says

"That will depend on your mother, Sparx! Can you settle down for me Cynder...maybe take a breath or two!" Dr. Stanley says with a bit of sarcasm "If you can calm yourself down...it will prove you are well enough, and I will let Spyro come inside as well!"

Cynder looks up at the doctor with a smile, and lowers her head. She takes a few deep breaths and tries to calm her emotions. Cynder looks out the window of her room and can see her husband just laying peacefully. THe young dragoness recalls, in her memory, a better time and place.

Her wedding day

She can envision the look Spyro gave her just after Terridor spoke those most important words...

"I now pronounce you husband and wife"

His eyes were filled with the love he has never had for anyone else, and the shuttering in his body as he grabbed her gently, gave her the chills.

But the kiss is what she is focusing on.

The most passionate kiss she ever received, and the feeling of deep love that came with it.

The pounding in her chest, matched his heart beat, and echoed with the thunderous applause from below. It shook the foundations of the Valley of Avalar, and made that moment even more defining.

Cynder smiles in her hospital bed and looks back up to Dr. Stanley.

His eyes focused dead on the display screen next to her bed, watching her vital statistics intently. Dr. Stanley returns his gaze to the dark dragoness in his care, with a stern look.

"Dragons!" He bellows, and Cynder smiles

"Well...doctor, can I see my husband...please?" She asks with a deep wanting in her voice.

The doctor keeps his mouth shut and begins to walk toward the window. He places his hand upon Sparx' side.

"I don't know!" He replies...looking deep into the distraught eyes of her son.

"Please!" The young dragon somber asks.

A huge smile suddenly crosses his face, and his sarcasm returns in the next sentence

"It all depends..." He barks with a snicker, then taps on the window with his knuckles. "...Do you think he will wake up!"

Spyro's eyes open with the first tap, and he turns his head in the direction of his wife's room. His eyes open further, seeing the doctor and Sparx standing on the other side.

"Hey!" He yelps and jumps to his feet.

Spyro excitedly wastes no time in running down the hallway, back through the nurses station and into his wife's room. As he gets to the open door his eyes lock upon hers...she was watching intently, waiting for him to appear.

"Cynder!" Spyro yelps with a deep love in his voice, and she just smiles at him knowing he is completely taken be her.

The purple hero of Avalar slowly strides into the room, and lays his head down upon her red chest plate. He wraps his arm around his wife gently and just holds on to her as easily as he can.

Cynder places her paw upon the top of his head, and softly scratches the area behind his broken horn. Spyro shutters from the sheer feeling of his wife's touch but begins crying, knowing how close he came to losing her.

"I'm so sorry Cynder!" Spyro whimpers, holding her a little tighter, but not hard enough to hurt.

"This was my fault!"

Cynder lifts her husband's muzzle to look him in the eye.

"NO it wasn't Spyro!" She replies, but can see in his eyes that he doesn't agree.

"Sparx, Dr. Stanley! Can I talk to my husband alone for a minute, please" She softly says and lowers his head back down upon her chest.

Sparx without a word spoken, walks from the room quickly and stands by the open door, but Dr. Stanley stays behind for a moment.

"Do not upset her Spyro...She is finally in stable condition, but that doesn't mean she can deal with a great amount of stress!" He replies.

The pointy eared surgeon walks over to her display screen, and points at her blood pressure reading.

"Just be mindful of what you say. If I see her pressure go up too much...I don't care who you are..." The doctor retorts sternly. "...I will remove you from this room...understood!"

"Yes Doctor...I understand!" He quickly replies, and the doctor turns to walk away, however, Spyro grabs his arm as he goes to take his first step.

"Thank You Dr. Stanley..." He says with a great deal of appreciation and looks up at Cynder's repaired wing "...for everything!"

Dr. Stanley places his hand on Spyro's neck and stares into his eyes.

"NO Spyro...you never need to thank me for anything..." He replies with a greater appreciation in his words. "It was my pleasure to help the greatest Skylander of this age...and My Good Friend!"

The purple & gold dragon lowers his head humbly, and a tear rolls off his muzzle to the floor. The doctor slides his hand from the back of Spyro's neck to his jaw, and lifts his chin up high. His eyes focus deep into the young father's purple eyes

"It's MY DUTY!"

Spyro stands on his hind legs towering over the 6' 4" doctor and embraces him tightly.

"My friend...it is MY DUTY to do what I do, but what you have done is given my wife back, and my son his mother..." He whispers softly. The young father can see his boy standing just on the other side of the door, and watches a smile cross his face.

Spyro pulls back from his embrace and returns a deep gaze into Dr. Stanley's dark brown eyes. "...if a thank you is not called for now...then when is it!"

Dr. Stanley pause for a moment, and pulls Spyro back to him. "You're Welcome..Spyro!" He replies with his own humility, and pats the purple dragon upon the hard scales of his back. "Now, go and talk to your wife, my friend...Cynder has been asking for you the minute she woke up...at nauseum!"

Spyro nods his head and returns his attention to an embarrassed, but smiling, dark purple and red dragoness. He strides back to her bed, and sits upright gently grasping her paw.

As Dr. Stanley leaves and the doors close, Spyro once again breaks down with tears and lowers his muzzle down to Cynder. He pecks her gently on the cheek, and is overwhelmed by the amount of scars on her face.

From outside the window, her husband could not see the minor injuries to Cynder. However, up close, he can see now that these small wounds and scars are the real reason she was in such terrible shape. There are thousands of them covering her body, and Spyro can feel more and more anguish in his heart.

"Look at what I did to you!" He yelps and Cynder sighs feeling his regret.

"It wasn't your fault!" She replies with a bit of anxiety.

"I sent you there...I did!" He softly retorts. "I was the one who attacked the Guardian while he was trying to help you, and I am the one who forced...our child...to live there for almost 8 years.."

Spyro lowers his head down to her and cries uncontrollably

"...how can you ever forgive me for that!"

"Damn it Spyro..." She yelps with anger and grabs the nub of his broken horn, to get his attention with pain. She pauses for a second and then stares dead into his teary purple eyes before telling him sternly.

"This was not your fault..." The dark dragoness lowers her head, turning her telling eyes away from him. "...and I know that as a matter of fact!"

Spyro can hear the seriousness in her voice, and can feel the pain from her grip. He settles down quickly, and realizes what she just said and how apprehensive she just became.

"What do you mean you know..." He replies with puzzlement, but then Spyro becomes more anxious. "Were you able to see everything!"

"No!" She replies sheepishly still unable to look her husband in the eye. Cynder's voice becomes a bit strained, as she continues, knowing she is heading down a path of questions she does not want to answer "I heard...from a reliable source, lets just say that!"

"A reliable source?" Spyro retorts and backs away for a minute. "Who?"

Cynder begins to breathe heavily and can tell her pulse is rising. The dark dragoness can feel a pain begin to build in her chest, knowing that her husband will be heartbroken to know who she had received help from...again.

"I can't Spyro...I just can't!" Cynder replies with tears pouring from her green eyes, and Spyro can see how upset he is making her.

"Stop Cynder, I'm sorry...please take it easy..." He yelps and hugs her tightly to quiet his wife. Spyro lowers his muzzle down to her ear and softly whispers "I want to know, but I don't want to hurt you to find out, so you tell me when you are ready!"

Suddenly, being in the embrace she has longed for for 2 years, the young dragoness can sense the love from her HUSBAND. Cynder knows it is the right thing to tell him, even by herself. She wanted her son in the room with her for support, but realizes, she has never gotten more support than from the purple dragon holding her now.

"I'm sorry Spyro...I had no choice!" She remarks with difficulty

The alarm on the display begins to ring, and the purple dragon glances over to see her heart rate has doubled.

"Cynder, calm down, you don't need to tell me!" Spyro replies feeling her pulse thumping through her chest. "Please just breathe easy!"

The doctor bolts into the door, and immediately becomes concerned seeing his patient having trouble breathing.

"Spyro, back away...quickly!" He retorts, and grabs a syringe from the table. He hastily fills the needle and injects a sedative into the young dragoness' hind-quarters.

Cynder squeals from the pain, but thankful her body shuts down, and her pulse begins to slow to normal. The young dragoness passes out from the sedative, and the doctor turns around to her husband.

"What the hell happened?" He asks with concern "I was out of the room for a minute, Spyro!"

"I don't know, doctor!" Spyro answers, just as clueless as him. "She was going to tell me something, but then became really upset...I told her to stop, that I didn't need to know!"

Spyro looks down at the ground in shame. The same pain Cynder is experiencing, inner doubt, fills his chest.

"I can't stop this feeling that she and my son are keeping something from me...but I don't know what." He says to his good friend. "It scares me, doc..that she is this worried to tell me something, and I can see the look in Sparx' eye as well."

Spyro glances back at his wife with a great concern.

"What the hell could be so frightening to her that she will not tell me!?"

"Mom is worried about losing you Dad!" Sparx replies from the doorway, and both Spyro and Dr. Stanley are startled by the young dragon's sudden appearance. "She feels that this secret will drive a wedge between the two of you!"

Sparx strolls into the room never taking his eyes from his mother's face. He walks up to the far side of her bed across from Spyro and Dr. Stanley. The young dragon places his paw on her cheek and a sudden flash of power is sent through her entire body.

Dr. Stanley & Spyro are startled once again, by the flash of power from his paw, and the fact that Cynder's vitals stabilize in a second.

"This will help Mom!" He whispers then gently slides his paw across her neck, down her arm, and grasps her paw. "Get some sleep...I will tell him, so you do not have to!"

"What did you do to her?" The doctor quips seeing Cynder is no longer in danger.

"She is so weak, and I am feeling better, so I gave her some of my strength!" Sparx replies nonchalantly. "It will help with her healing...I hope!"

Sparx slowly looks up at his Father, who is still in awe at what he just saw his son do.

"It sounded like Mom was going to tell you...!" Sparx says with a slight grin. "So I wouldn't be breaking my promise if I finished what she was going to say...would it?!"

Spyro is still stunned, but asks a question that has him baffled.

"How did you hear what she was saying Sparx?" The purple dragon barks with a puzzled expression.

Sparx suddenly disappears in a poof of dark smoke and his voice rings out from the shadows.

"I'm sorry Dad, but I never left the room!" He says, then places his paw upon his father's side.

Spyro jumps from being touched by his invisible son, but also has a feeling of déjà vu. This was a favorite trick that Cynder would do to scare her purple boyfriend, back in their earlier days. The dark power of Shadow that courses through Cynder, is now a part of the young dragon that stands...somewhere...in front of his father.

Sparx reappears before the purple & gold dragon and smiles. "I knew she was not going to keep this secret from you, and I didn't what her to be alone." He lowers his head feeling bad for not seeing it sooner

"But now I see...when my Mom is with you...she is not alone!"

The two toned purple dragon places his paw upon Spyro's shoulder, then returns his eyes to his father's with a confident stare.

"Walk with me Dad!" He whispers in his father's ear. "I'm sure she can hear us and I don't want to upset Mom anymore than she already is."

As father and son make their way to the door...a soft whisper stops them both in their tracks

"Nooo!" Her voice begs, Sparx & Spyro turn around quickly to see her eyes open and locked upon them.

Dr Stanley quickly turns around to Cynder, and she holds up her paw slightly to stop him.

"I'm OK doc...but I must say something!" She softly replies.

"Good luck!" he retorts with a chuckle. "I fully expect you to be out cold again in a second or two!"

Cynder just stares at her friend and smiles.

"Dragons!" He bellows, and turns to Spyro and Sparx. "Well...before she passes out..."

Sparx quickly runs to his mother's side, and is met with a stern request.

"Do not tell him yet...Sparx...you promised!" She says with a strain in her voice from the sedative. "I will tell him later!"

"Yes Mom! I promised!" Sparx replies somberly.

"Spyro!" She softly says and Sparx turns to see his father already approaching her bed side.

"I'm here Cynder...What is it, Baby?" Spyro asks eagerly to hear her voice and her request.

"Please stop asking Sparx about the past...he does not want to keep a secret from his father!" She says, and Spyro can see the sparkle of tears forming in her green eyes. "He is upset not to be able to tell you...but I asked him, and he promised."

"I will no longer ask!" Spyro replies and strokes her paw with his own to comfort her, but is no use. Cynder begins to cry from fear...looking into the eyes of her love.

"I'm sorry Spyro...and I love you!" She whispers. "But I had no choice..."

Cynder begins to succumb to the sedative Dr. Stanley gave her, and her eye lids close uncontrollably .

Spyro can see a restless look upon her face, and another nightmare for his young wife, the look he has seen many times from his window.

This nightmare is not of a beating while defending her son, to Cynder it is much worse...how to tell her husband she spent a year under the evil Dark Master's protection.

Cynder is unable to say or do anything, and slowly begins to lose complete consciousness.

However, at the last moment, the young dragoness can feel Spyro's embrace, and hears his voice whispered in her ear.

"Shhhh...do not worry my WIFE!" He says and strokes his paw around her neck and up to her muzzle. The purple dragon gently kisses her on the mouth and returns his head down to her ear. "There is nothing you can tell me that will EVER make me stop loving you...NOTHING!"

Spyro can see his wife take a deep breath, and can see her body begin to relax. He turns his head over to Dr. Stanley and her monitor. Noticing Cynder's heart rate return to normal, the purple dragon smiles.

"Well I guess she will need more rest after all huh, Doctor!" Spyro retorts with a chuckle.

Dr. Stanley just stares at his purple friend...

"DRAGONS!" He bellows with a smirk and walks from the room with a bit of an attitude in his step.

"Is he mad at us dad?" Sparx asks with a bit of startlment hearing the angered tone in the normally calm doctor's voice.

"NO!" Spyro replies still looking at his wife, then turns his head to his son. "He is envious us son, and the abilities we have..."

Spyro walks around Cynder's bed and puts his arm around his son. He stares at his wife's wing and can see the intricate work that must have been done to re-attach it, and allow his wife to fly once again.

"...but I envy him for what he can do sometimes!"

Suddenly both dragons jump as a voice bellows from the purple dragon's paw.

"SPYRO...are you there!" The voice of Gaven barks from his wrist communicator.

Spyro raises his paw with a bit of anger and barks back to his commander.

"I'm in my wife's room with my son...if you don't mind, Gaven...What is so damn important...Sir!"

"Sorry Spyro...I didn't know!" He replies with a bit of apprehension. "However there is something here I need you to see...and I don't think it can wait!"

Spyro looks over at his son with a bit of puzzlement, then is startled again, when Gaven's voice returns. "And if at all possible Spyro...bring your son with you...I would very much like to meet him."

Spyro again looks at his boy with a bit of shock.

"That's odd!" Spyro quips, and lowers his brow to think.

"What is it Dad?" Sparx replies with a bit of worry in his voice.

"It's nothing son I'm sure...he just never allows a non-Skylander access to the Main Portal Room..." Spyro remarks, then looks at his son with a smile "...especially such a little whelpling like yourself!"

"WHELPLING!" Sparx says with some anger and a bit loud, and Spyro shows embarrassment in his expression and gestures his son to lower his voice.

Sparx becomes just as embarrassed, and lowers to the ground.

"Oops sorry Dad" Sparx whispers feeling really stupid at this moment, but his father grasps his shoulder and lifts him up.

"I was just trying to make a joke Sparx...you look very tense!" Spyro says and turns to see his wife didn't wake from her son's outburst. Cynder is out cold but now she is smiling. The young dragon smirks himself then turns his eyes back to his son. "You are still thinking about your mother's secret, and that you are keeping it from me...right!"

Sparx becomes even more tense and his father feels it in his pulse and the tightened muscles along the flank his paw is upon.

"Stop Sparx...I said I will not ask you, and you do not need to tell me!" He says softly. "You're mother will tell me when she is ready, and I have no problem with that"

"I do!" Sparx says even softer.

"What was that?" Spyro asks, and his son just shakes his head to imply he said nothing important.

"Come on Sparx...let's leave her sleep...I want you to finally meet someone very important to me..." Spyro remarks and gestures his head for his son to follow. "The great Portal Master, Gaven. A good friend of mine, and your mother."

Sparx falls in behind his father as he walks from Cynder's room and back towards the nurses station. The young dragon is about to speak when his father barks to the young nurse behind the desk.

"Please, let either my son or myself know when Cynder is awake!"

"Of course, Spyro...she will be in good hands trust me!" The young nurse replies and Spyro continues his journey into the waiting area he spent 3 days with his son.

"Dad!" Sparx finally yelps and Spyro stops when he hears the seriousness in his voice. "Mom told me, you and Gaven didn't get along very well!...How is he your friend?"

Spyro turns to look at his wife lying peacefully in her bed, and gives her a look.

"She told you that, huh!" Spyro asks with shock.

"Mom told me a lot...she made sure she told me everything about my father!" Sparx replies with authority and Spyro turns his attention back to him.

A smile crosses the purple dragon's muzzle and he steps over to his son.

"Yeah you could say our first four years of friendship were trying!" Spyro says with a bitter smile, remembering the silent treatment he received. "But the friendship I have found over the last few months have been worth the pain of those first 4 hard years!"

Spyro looks deep into his sons eyes

"You never know who your friends are going to be...until you really get to know them!" He says with his head lowered "It just took a while to get to know him."

Spyro takes a deep breath and smiles, then he turns his head back to his wife. "I would talk with Gaven while on a mission, and he kept my mind sharp but relaxed, but most of all, he would tell me what Cynder had on her mind that day if I couldn't speak to her myself."

Spyro returns to his journey to the Main Room. The purple dragon and his son walk from the waiting room of the medical bay for the first time in days. As they enter the long hallway that leads to the Main Room, Spyro continues his thoughts of friendship with the Portal Master.

"He taught me alot Sparx, much more than I learned in my first tour with the Skylanders!" Spyro barks proudly and turns his head around to his son with a smirk. "I'm sure you can learn a few things yourself from him as well!"

Sparx does not return the smile instead he still has a puzzled look on his face, and Spyro notices. However before the young father can ask his son what's wrong.

"Mom told me you were mad at him for not saying she was pregnant!" Sparx barks with confusion, and Spyro again comes to a dead stop in the hallway.

"SHE TOLD YOU THAT TOO!" The purple dragon yells, and his voice echos down the long narrow corridor. "I mean is there anything she didn't say!?"

Sparx cowers thinking he is being yelled at for knowing such knowledge about his father, but Spyro's paw is quick to his son's chin to hold it up.

"I'm not yelling at you Sparx...I'm just surprised your mother told you THAT!"

Sparx' depressed eyes lock on his father's, and Spyro can see and hear the pure despair in his boy.

"We had a lot of time to talk Dad, and sometimes that was all were able to do...for days!"

Sparx sits on his hind quarters, and pulls his head from his father's grasp gently. The young dragon again looks down at the ground, but this time to recall memories. He returns his now teary eyes to his father, whom now is becoming upset himself at the sight of his son in anguish.

"The attacks were relentless, and unending...especially after we left Ma...!"

Sparx stops talking quickly, and looks at his father. He knows he started saying something he shouldn't, and sees the reaction from Spyro right away.

"Left Who?" Spyro barks and immediately Sparx begins sweating.

The young dragon's eyes dilate with the fear that he almost broke his promise in the first minute. Sparx turns his head away, but can quickly feel the tight grip of his father's paw across his muzzle...pulling him back to face him.

"_what did I do!?_" he says to himself looking into the same eyes he sees in his own reflection. "_I can't tell him...mom would never speak to me again...especially after what I did!_"

He can see the anger in the purple eyes of his father, and can feel the rising pulse in the paw holding his face still.

"_I have to tell him...I feel his anger...as if it were my own!_"

"DAD!" Sparx yelps, and Spyro is quick to hold his son's mouth shut.

"Your mom told you not to tell me Sparx!" He softly but sternly repeats her wish.

Spyro's eyes can see the look in his son's, and knows his own eyes when they about to give in. He lessens his grip on Sparx' jaw, and slowly lowers his paw down the young dragon's neck. Spyro pulls his son into his chest and holds him tightly.

"I don't want you to tell me now...I want to hear it from her, son!" Spyro whispers into his ear. "I want your mother to know that she can tell me anything...and that I will be there for her!"

Sparx raises up on his hind legs and hugs his father tighter.

"I'm sorry dad, I just..."

Spyro cuts his son off by squeezing his grip tighter and holds his head closer to his ear.

"You never need to say you're sorry for this..." Spyro barks, then pulls his son's head back to look him in the eye. "...DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"

Sparx humbly shakes his head yes, and Spyro returns his son's jaw to the side of his neck in a tighter embrace.

"Never!" The young father cries and holds his son for all he is worth.

In the grip of his actual father, Sparx has an epiphany. The young dragon experiences something he has never felt before...a true feeling of a father's love for his son. From this moment forward, he knows his life will be much different and a whole lot better.

After a long embrace with his son, Spyro releases his grip, and wipes the tears from his eyes. The emotions he feels cracks the purple dragon's usually solid voice.

"And you mother will have to learn that too!"

As Spyro returns to his voyage towards the Main Room, Sparx holds him steadily before him, and Spyro's eyes snap back to his son's. The rested purple dragon can feel a real solid grip, from Sparx, for the first time.

"So will you, DAD!" Sparx retorts sternly, and stares at him with different eyes. A look he has never seen from his son before, and one that reminds him of someone.

Though his eyes are purple, and fluctuate with his power like himself...Spyro finally sees the difference. They are sharp & direct like Cynder's. A warm feeling shoots down the purple dragon's back, as he almost sees his wife, for the first time, in the dragon before him.

"This was not you fault either!"

Spyro smirks at the thought, and how Sparx sounds just like Cynder as well, but the purple hero believes differently.

"Yes, it wa...!" Spyro begins to say, but Sparx grasp his father's muzzle and shuts it tightly. His father gives him a startled look, and his full attention.

"NO DAD!" Sparx bellows, and again stares into his eyes. "It was the Dark Master...and NO ONE else...DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

* * *

><p><strong>As I said before, I will be removing the old story, however...I noticed a few people are still reading it...I don't know why...lol<strong>

**So it will come down in a day or so. **

**And again, Thank you for your patience, and good luck to those that were less fortunate than myself.**


	12. Don't Run in the Hallways

Chapter 12 Don't run in the hallways

There is dead silence in the long hallway of the underground portal station, as both father and son stare at each other. Sparx does not blink nor does he release his father's snout, he just waits, looking for a response to his statement.

Spyro is still startled...the sudden flip in his son's emotion, very much like his wife, is something he has never witnessed before. But most of all, the purple and gold hero is spooked by the power of the young dragon before him. Even if he wanted to, Spyro can feel he doesn't posses nearly enough strength to break his son's grasp.

He can feel an almost steel grip upon his jaw and shoulder, and though it is solid, luckily it is not tight. Sparx is not trying to hurt him, but he also doesn't want his father to just ignore the fact, that he is not to blame. Spyro stares back at his son still seeing his wife's eyes, and the way they would look when she wanted an answer...RIGHT NOW!

The young father bows his head with a somber pair of eyes, still not believing what happened to Cynder was not his fault.

"I just couldn't stop Sparx!" The distraught dragon says muffled by his son's paw.

"I know Dad!" Sparx replies, quickly lifting his father's jaw to get Spyro to look at him again. "I know a lot..I know you had no control of your actions, and I know it was the Dark Master who influenced you to attack!"

Sparx release his grip upon his father and lowers back down to his four paws. Spyro lowers beside his son, and can hear the deep concern in his voice.

"I also know things that I must tell you, being a Skylander..." The young dragon remarks as he walks a few strides ahead of Spyro, then stops and turns his head sharply to look back at his father.

"...but that would break my promise to Mom...so I don't know what to do!"

Spyro drops his head felling the anguish in his son.

"You must honor your promise to her, Sparx...!" Spyro bellows, then walks over to his son. The purple dragon drapes his wing around his boy and pulls him close to whisper in his ear. "...Your word is the best way to show your character, and I know that you are a dragon of good character."

Spyro removes his wing and walks around face to face with his son. His eyes focus sharply, and Sparx can see the same stern look he sees in his own reflection.

"However..." Spyro's voice becomes deeper and more commanding. "...considering what you just said, if your Mother does not tell me the next time she is awake, then you must tell me yourself...understand!"

"But Dad!" Sparx barks back, and Spyro grasps his muzzle holding it shut.

"No Sparx!" The angry father shouts in his son's face. "I know you promised your mother, but now I can not ignore the fact, when you tell me there are things I must know as a Skylander..."

Spyro suddenly pauses with a blank expression then looks over at the door to the Main Room, just yards from the two dragons.

"Oh shit... " Spyro bellows then returns a more anxious stare to his young son, and he grips his muzzle tighter. "...DO NOT repeat a single word to Gaven, of what you just told me, or HE OR I will kick your ass...you got that!"

Sparx quickly raises his head up and down, and Spyro release his son's mouth and stares at him with anger. "We will finish this little discussion later!"

Sparx just stands in the center of the long hallway...depressed. The young dragon feels bad that he and his father were arguing for the first time, and that he may have to break a promise to his mother.

"_Damn I got a big mouth!_" He says to himself.

The two-toned purple and gold dragon watches his father walk to the large door's control panel, with an angered stride...almost stomping. His tail wagging feverishly and slamming to the ground every so often, just like Sparx' tail would when he gets mad. He can tell Spyro is not happy, and his depression sinks in deeper.

Spyro reaches his paw out to open the door to the Main Room of the underground station. However, as his claw is just about to hit the button, the door opens by itself.

The purple dragon becomes a bit nervous thinking Gaven was standing by the door, sure the Portal Master of the Skylanders overheard their conversation.

Spyro cranes his head to look into the room, sure to see Gaven standing in front of his face, however, his eyes open wide and he becomes even more concerned at what he sees. A portal...open in the center of the room, and a blue ball begins to speed out of the swirl of energy.

"SPARX...LOOK OUT!" Spyro yells seeing his son in the path of a new scorch line from Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sparx is startled out of his hazed thoughts and looks up, at the last moment, to see the balled-up hedgehog charging straight at him. The young dragon digs his claws into the steel floor, lowers his head flat with his horns, and braces himself.

Sonic opens up his body to slow his momentum, and drives his sneakers into the ground...but it is far too late. The blue hedgehog had built up so much speed while performing his signature departure from a mission, that he has no chance of stopping in time.

The power from the impact shakes the underground structure to its foundations, and sends a massive wave of energy...and gold rings...down the length of the long hallway. The lights that fill the room explode with an overload of power and rain a vast amount of sparks to the floor. The alarms in the station blare, and the blast door next to Spyro shuts tight to close off the explosion of energy.

"BY THE ANCESTORS..." The worried father yelps with panic, as he is forced back a step by the power of this collision. "...SPARX...ARE YOU OK?!"

However, Spyro is shocked as his son calmly replies...

"I'm fine Dad...!"

Suddenly, the emergency lights do their job, illuminating the corridor. Spyro is baffled to see Sparx still standing on his feet, and staring at him with a slight smile

"...how are you?!" The young dragon retorts with a chuckle

As the room lights up, Spyro can see the full carnage. One blue hedgehog lying flat on his back, and thousands of gold rings strewn all around and down the long hallway. The lights that line the corridor are sparking from the power surge, and his son...standing only an inch back from where he was.

The proof...claw marks in the steel floor, showing the force Sparx took from the speeding hedgehog

The purple dragon stares at his son...surprised he has no clear injury and asks the question again, just to ask.

"Are you sure you're OK!?" He says with amazement in his voice.

"Really Dad..I'm fine!" Sparx replies, then looks down at Sonic and sarcastically continues. "I don't think he is though!"

"Owwww!" A struggling voice whispers from the ground. "What was that!"

"That was my son you slammed into!" Spyro replies with a chuckle in his voice, seeing the blue hedgehog moving around slowly.

"Ohh!" Sonic yelps while continuing to hold his chest in pain. "I was wondering why Gaven would put a brick wall up in the middle of the hallway!"

The blue hedgehog looks at the young dragon before him, and is startled at his size and strength.

"Wow Spyro! What are you feeding this kid, I mean for heaven sakes..."

Sonic stops talking abruptly, pauses for a moment, then turns his head towards Spyro with a vast look of astonishment on his face.

"Wait a minute...you don't have any kids...I mean not yet...I just heard last week, before I left, that Cynder was pregnant."

Sonic looks back at the young son of Spyro, who is about as old as his father was when he joined the Skylanders,

"This can not be possible...was I gone for a week or a decade!"

"No it's only been a week!" Spyro retorts...some anger fills his voice, that rage becomes more apparent in his next sentence. "And I'm glad he told you too, and probably everyone else that my wife was pregnant...EXCEPT ME!"

"I'm sorry Spyro!" Sonic says feeling regret for knowing that piece of valuable information before the father even knew. "I thought you had known for months...when did he tell you!"

Spyro lowers his head and looks down at his friend, still sitting on the cold floor.

"The day before I was supposed to go home!"

"What a bastard he can be sometimes!" Sonic barks with a slight bit of humor in his voice, and Spyro nods his head with a chuckle of his own. However his thoughts return to the near adolescent dragon standing before him. "So...how can this be your son Spyro, He looks old!"

Sparx frowns at the blue hedgehog, then turns his head to see his father's face fill with anguish

"It's a long story, my friend..." Spyro replies and looks over at his son. "...and one that I can not wait to hear myself!"

The spiky blue hero tries to stand on his feet and console his friend, but he is knocked to the ground quick by a rising pain in his back. A nasty cracking sound is produced and Sonic screams in agony as his body practically collapses.

"Oww..my back!" He yelps forcing him to lay down to try to stop the throbbing, but it is no use. Sonic aggravated what ever was wrong by trying to stand up, and a streak of fear shoots through his soul, as he feels his legs go numb.

"OH NO!" Sonic cries

Spyro reaches down and grabs the white gloved hand of the blue hedgehog and can feel his friend's grip is not as strong as it should be. The purple dragon turns to his son with fear in his eyes.

"Sparx quickly...run and get Dr. Stanley!" He yells and Sparx is startled for a moment, but doesn't run for help.

"He's kinda busy with Mom..." The young dragon remarks and his father gives him a startled look for his lack of concern.

Sparx walks over to the broken hedgehog, and places his left front paw upon Sonic's belly.

"I can handle this, Dad" The young dragon says and a glow begins to emanate from his paw

"What are you doing?" Spyro says with deep amazement in his voice...watching this light consume the lower half of Sonic's body.

The young dragon stares at his father with a smile, and replies confidently, but sarcastically.

"I'm trying to find out what I did to the poor fellow, so I can fix it!"

Spyro gives his son a double take, not really believing or understanding what he means by that.

"He'll be alright Dad, it's not that bad..." The young dragon says with a more serious tone, and Spyro's astonishment fills his eyes as he looks upon Sparx and the power he possesses.

The young dragon turns his head down to Sonic's, staring into his fear-filled eyes.

"I can fix this! I promise you!" The young dragon says calmly trying to comfort him with his WORD

Feeling the power surging through his legs and seeing the look in Sparx' eyes...a gaze he has seen many times from Spyro...the blue hedgehog relaxes slightly and takes a deep breath.

"OWW!" He bellows loudly, as his lungs expand in his sore chest. Sparx moves his paw up several inches, and once again Sonic lets out a squeal of pain.

"You broke a few ribs too!' The young dragon says, with a deeper sarcasm in his voice.

Sonic's eyes open wide with pain and he stares at the young dragon. His voice is strained, but stern, and sarcastic as well.

"Yeah I know, so if you don't friggen mind...could you stop standing on them!"

Sparx leaves his paw on the hedgehog's ribs, but lifts most of his weight off. The dark purple dragon lowers his head down to Sonic.

"I need to apply some pressure to heal them!" Sparx says softly, then smiles. "It's gonna hurt like hell, so I guess I'll just say I'm sorry now"

"What..." Sonic retorts, but Sparx quickly presses his paw back down...covering half of Sonic's chest.

The blue hedgehog yelps in pain and Spyro is quick to become nervous.

"What are you doing?" He hollers, and moves to grab his son's paw.

However, the purple & gold dragon stops suddenly, noticing the two are quickly linked. Spyro steps back and watches in awe as both dragon and hedgehog breathe in unison.

The young father stares at his son with pure amazement, at the similar but stronger power he has. Sparx' pupils have faded from the whites of his eyes, and the purple stripe down his back is now pulsing with the same dark energy that he has.

Spyro has a weird out-of-body experience, almost sensing himself standing before himself.

Suddenly, Sonic begins to pulse with the same glow of energy, and Sparx reaches his right paw under the hedgehog. The young dragon stands the glowing speedster upon his feet and straightens his back with a loud crack. Sonic once again yelps in pain but is fast to calm down, as the sting of injury leaves his body quick.

Dragon and hedgehog stare at each other for a moment, then both smile and begin to laugh.

The dark blue color of Sonic, and the vibrant purple stripe upon Sparx' back, return to their normal colors.

"That was, without a doubt, the weirdest thing I have ever felt in my life!" Sonic remarks to the young dragon standing before him.

The hedgehog squats several time and runs in places at great speed to test his legs and back. A huge smile crosses his face as he looks down to see the smoke building up from the speed his feet are moving at. Sonic stops suddenly and turns back to the young dragon standing nearly eye level with the shorter hedgehog. A look of pure appreciation fills his face.

"Thank You young dragon...What ever you did to me was amazing!" Sonic reaches his hand out and grasps Sparx' right paw...shaking it vigorously. "I feel like a kid again!"

"Well you are NOT!" Bellows Gaven's voice from the opened blast doors. "So maybe you should stop running down the damn hallways!"

All three are startled by his voice, and the fact he was standing there for a while, when he continues his statement.

"Young Sparx...that is an incredible power you have...where did you learn that!" He asks with curiosity.

The two-toned purple & gold dragon becomes very nervous...very quick, knowing he can not answer that question. How can he tell the Portal Master of the Skylanders he learned this and many other things from Malefor...especially with his father standing before him.

"I had to learn a lot of things on my own!" Sparx yelps with apprehension, and Spyro knows his son is lying. He has heard this tone before, when he asked about his past.

"Why don't I believe you!" Gaven remarks with anger, knowing his brother told him the same thing he told Spyro. His voice becomes agitated...being kept in the dark by his brother, and now this young whelpling

"I heard you where not alone in that dark place..so who was it that taught you this magic"

The young dragon cowers down in fear, but will not say a word. Sparx can feel the burning anger from the eyes of the Portal Master, and his legs begin to shake with nerves.

"WELL!" Gaven shouts and Sparx jumps back up to attention...scared straight. However, the young dragon turns his head away...and remains silent.

Spyro can hear the sound of his son's deep breathing and feels the emotion of his anguish

"Gaven..." Spyro barks and Sparx looks over to see his father staring at him. "...Let it go!"

"What!" The Portal Master retorts, startled to hear Spyro come to his defense. "I figured you would want to know more than I!"

"I do!" Spyro remarks, still staring into his Sparx' eyes. "But not at the cost of my son's respect!"

The purple dragon turns towards his friend and commander.

"He promised Cynder, and I do not want him to break his word" The purple dragon says sternly.

"His word, General! I do not care about his WORD!" Gaven retorts and stares at his friend with anger in his eyes.

Spyro does not blink. The two look at each other with the same cold expressions from the purple dragon's first tour of duty.

"I have already lost too much of my son's life, Master Gaven!" Spyro remarks, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "I will not lose anymore by making him despise his father. And if that means I must leave the Skylanders...with my family...then that is not a difficult choice!"

Spyro lowers his head and turns to look at the scared young dragon. His son's expression shows the worry of making his father look bad, before his commanding officer.

"I will not force him to tell me until his mother gives him permission, or until I...as his father...ask him to tell me, Gaven!" Spyro turns back to his friend, raises up on his hind legs, and places his front paws upon the Portal Master's chest. The shorter dragon cranes his head up as high as he can to look his tall friend eye to eye.

"He wants to talk Gaven...without a doubt in my mind!" Spyro says with a confident tone. He turns his head around to look at his son once again as he continues. "He doesn't want to keep this secret anymore..."

The purple dragon returns a stern gaze to his commander "...but I have told him to remain quiet for now, so do not be angry with him, sir. Be angry with me!"

Gaven stares into the deep purple eyes of Spyro, and can see his resolve.

"Just answer me one question then..." Gaven retorts with the same serious stare his friend is giving.

"WHY?!"

Spyro lowers his head, knowing his reasons are personal, and mean nothing to the Skylanders.

"Because my wife needs to tell me herself..." He answers softly, then returns his eyes to his friend. "She is fearful to tell ME what happened, Gaven...and I need her to remember that she can tell ME anything."

Deep emotion fills Spyro's eyes, as well as tears.

"I needed her to know, regardless of what she says, that I will still trust her...and that I will still love her!"

Gaven pauses for a moment then turns his attention to the young dragon standing beside Sonic. The look of shame in Sparx' eyes send a chill down the Portal Master's spine. He can see the same shame-filled eyes only a foot from his face.

"I understand General..." The Portal Master replies with a whisper, then steps to the side allowing Spyro to fall back to his four paw stance. Gaven lowers to a knee and wraps his arm around Spyro's neck in a solid embrace. "...but after the attack in your home, we know the Dark Master has not given up. Now is not the time to keep secrets!"

"SECRETS!" Spyro barks and snaps his head to stare his friend in the eye. "Where the hell is your Brother...he's the one with all the secrets!"

Spyro jostles away from Gaven's grip and slams his tail upon the ground with anger. The impact ripples the floor, sending Sonic's rings up in the air and back to the ground with an abundant amount of jingling.

"He knows who was with my son, and didn't say a word to you either...and now he's been gone for three days!" Spyro remarks with rage in his voice. The pupils of the purple dragon's eyes begin to fade. "You know where he is and won't tell me, nor will you tell me why he ordered you to keep me here for four years...so who's the one keeping secrets...Master Gaven."

"That's enough General..." Gaven barks with anger himself. "...unless you no longer want that title!"

"Maybe I Don't, if that means serving with you!" Spyro replies without delay.

"STOP!" The young dragon's voice bellows from the background, anxiously.

Sparx steps forward and stares at the Portal Master of the Skylanders, and his father's commanding officer. "I will tell you what you need to know!"

Both Master & General are in shock at his statement, and stare at the young dragon.

"What are you talking about..." Spyro barks at his son, and takes a few steps towards the two-toned purple dragon. "...you can't break your promise Sparx!

The young dragon turns his head away as his father approaches.

"No Dad, if I have to tell him...I will!" He remarks, then looks up into his father's eyes with a deep regret. "I don't want to be the reason Spyro the Dragon was dishonored."

Sparx once again turns his attention away from his father, and faces down the hallway towards his Mother's room. "I believe Mom would be more angry with me...for not talking, and I would be angry with myself!"

"She told me so much about your pride & honor...in life and in battle. How you give everything you can, only to help others in need, and still have the compassion for your enemies when they are defeated!" Sparx bellows, remembering the countless stories Cynder told him of his Father. "Mom told me...this is your best quality!"

The young dragon turns his head to look back at Spyro. "She said it is the part of you she loves the most, and I'll be damned if I'm taking that from you...or her...by remaining silent!"

Sparx lowers his head, and takes a deep breath. The youngster turns around and walks up muzzle to muzzle with his father.

"My word is important to you Dad, and I understand that!" Sparx says softly and compassionately. "However, I believe this is far more important, so please, don't think less of me for doing what I think is right!"

Spyro grasps the back of his son's neck and pulls him to his chest. The young father holds him tightly and lowers his head down atop of his son's

"You're a good boy!" The purple dragon whispers, and Sparx can feel a tear roll from his father's eye and land on the back of his neck.

"..I will wait out here, while you tell him!"

Sparx pulls his head back from Spyro's grasp, and returns a serious look to his father.

"No, Dad!" Sparx replies sternly, then suddenly Spyro can see worry in his son's eyes, and Sparx voice fills with a bit of childhood fear as he continues . "I'm afraid...and I want you there in the room...with me!"

"That will not be necessary!" Gaven bellows stopping both dragons conversation. He lowers his head and shakes it disapprovingly. "It was wrong of me to ask you like that. I am still angry with my brother, and there is no reason I should push that anger on to you, young dragon!"

"I will not continue to press the issue, Sparx!" The Portal Master says, then turns his head back up to look at his prize General, along with his powerful son. "I can see you are willing to part with this information, but I am not willing to pay such a high price!"

"High price?" Sparx replies with puzzlement

"I do not wish to anger the most successful Skylander in history..." Gaven barks with pride, and walks over to the son of his powerful General. The tall Portal Master drops to a knee and lowers his head down to get eye to eye with the smaller dragon. "...by forcing his son to feel dishonored. Please forgive me, Sparx...that was very foolish!"

Gaven turns his head to Spyro, and thankfully can see a slight smile across his muzzle.

"And I apologize to you to General!" Gaven remarks somberly.

Spyro holds his paw up and begins to shake his head NO, however Gaven is quick to grab his paw and stare him in the eye.

"No Spyro...how dare I speak such nonsense. " Gaven remarks with deep concern of Spyro's feelings and his friendship with the purple dragon. "I couldn't believe the words, as they were coming out of my mouth. To ask Spyro the Dragon to step down...How could I?!"

The Portal Master repositions Spyro's paw in his hand to hold it with gratitude, and he places his other hand on the back of Spyro's neck. He solidly shakes the purple dragons paw and grips his neck several times to show his appreciation.

Spyro is a bit startled at his commanding officer...this is the most emotion he has ever seen from the old giant

"The thought of you leaving the Skylanders someday...scares me!"

Suddenly, a large smile crosses his face and he looks over at Sonic, who has begun picking up the gold rings off the floor. His companion Tails, has joined from the other room and is helping his hero friend.

"I mean...look who you'll be leaving me with!"

Spyro looks over at his friend Sonic, and can not help but laugh when he sees the blue hedgehog's reaction.

Sonic tosses the rings he has in his hand on the floor, and stomps over to his commanding officer.

"What...I'm not as good a General as your #1 over here!" Sonic replies, and Spyro can hear the pure sarcasm in his friend's voice.

"That's messed up!"

Gaven snickers along with Spyro, and the Portal Master breathes a sigh of relief seeing his friend sit down on his hind quarters beside him. The still kneeling Portal Master looks over to his General.

"You know what would be messed up Spyro..." Gaven remarks with a good amount of sarcasm in his voice.

Hearing a long pause...Spyro turns to face the old master, and seeing his expression, the purple dragon plays along with the question.

"What?" He says very condescendingly

Gaven, hearing the playfulness once again in Spyro's voice, smiles. He can see he did not do too much damage to their friendship.

The Portal Master returns to his feet, and looks down at the much shorter hedgehog.

"It would be messed up if I called maintenance...I'm sure they would have no trouble cleaning this floor quickly" Gaven bellows and both Sonic and Tails' jaws drop.

Spyro also holds his mouth open seeing the thousands of gold rings covering the floor.

"That would be messed up, Gaven, but it would also be pretty funny... " Spyro retorts trying to hold his laughter. He turns to Sonic with a giant smile and begins to chuckle "How long would it take you to pick them all up..I bet not faster than that maintenance crew?"

"Thanks Spyro. Now we see who is the Master's pet!" Sonic yelps at his friend, and the purple dragon begins laughing harder.

"Come on you two!" Gaven replies with a smirk. "You know I do not look at any one Skylander in higher regard...you both have unique talents, and beside..."

The tall Portal Master turns around and starts walking back into the Main Room "...Boomer is better than the both of you combined!"

Sonic and Spyro stare at each other with a shocked look at their commander's statement, and both begin laughing uncontrollably.

"Yeah right!" Sonic barks to Gaven's back. "You just like him because he's an idiot, and follows your orders without question!"

The Portal Master stops and turns his head slightly back to his two Generals. Gaven shoots them a look with his left eye and snidely comments

"Well at least some of you know how to respect your commander!"

Sonic chuckles and begins to pick up his gold ring, however, Spyro sits up on his hind legs and crosses his arms.

"So, Master Gaven...why did you pull me away from my INJURED wife's bedside...hum!" The purple dragon retorts with a snide tone himself and the Portal Master lowers his head. "What job will you have me do this time...you know, while Cynder is in the hospital...I mean it's not like she's PREGNANT or anything..."

"OUCH!" Sonic replies with his back facing the Portal Master, but he can quickly feel Gaven's eyes burning into the back of his spiky neck. "I'll be quiet, Sir!"

"GOOD!" Gaven remarks and looks at Spyro. His eyes show remorse for that last comment.

"See...this is why I like Boomer!" The Portal Master retorts and looks down. "He's too stupid to understand when I insult him."

Spyro begins to chuckle, and Gaven raises his head.

"Don't worry friend...I know that is not what you meant...I just wanted to see you squirm again" Spyro replies and lowers back to his four paws. The Purple dragon walks over to his commander. "Now what is so important that you asked me to leave Cynder...I really want to know what spooked you so much to call me away from her."

"Come with me Spyro! I will show you!" Gaven replies and returns to his journey back into the Main Room.

"Sparx!" Spyro yelps, and his son is staring at his father before Spyro even turns his head to face him. "I want you to help Sonic clean this mess, while I talk with Gaven...it is partly your fault."

"Yes Dad!" the young dragon replies with no delay, however before he even reaches down to grab one ring...

"Sparx...I want you to come with us..if your father doesn't object!" Gaven barks, and startles everyone standing before him.

"Why would I object..." Spyro replies in shock. "...I just didn't think you would allow him in the Main Room."

"Then why would I ask you both here...Spyro!" Gaven remarks sarcastically.

"I figured you just wanted to meet..." Spyro stops mid-sentence and his brow lowers with deep thought.

"Why would you ask him here then Gaven" The purple dragon asks with concern. "What do the Skylanders want with my son!"

"It's not the Skylanders nor I that has an interst in him" Gaven replies, and looks down at a stumped purple dragon. "I received a message, Spyro!"

"A Message!" The purple dragon remarks still very puzzled. "What does that matter?"

Gaven begins to head back into the Main Room and his voice becomes very serious.

"Because the message was address to Sparx, son of Spyro the Dragon!"


	13. A Message from a Dark Place

**Sorry for the length of time between postings...Thanksgiving vacation was a bit longer then I thought it would be, but also appreciated.**

**This was also a long chapter, and I'm sure those of you who read the first story will definitely notice a difference. **

**Hope you like it, and please let me know what you think so far.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 13 A Message from a Dark Place<p>

Inside the vast library of the Palace of Time, Ignitus lays reading by candle light. To his right, three small books, and propped up before him, one very large book. It is also the one he is reading very closely.

Melted down to almost nothing, the source of light from the candles around him begins to flicker, making it harder on the already tired eyes of the reading dragon.

The Temple Guardian of Time, begins rubbing his eye lids, and gives a great yawn. The blue dragon reaches his paw out and turns another page of the massive two-toned purple & black bound book.

"You are wasting our time Ignitus." barks the Guardian of the Universe as he walks into the room, seeing his friend still reading the same few pages. The Guardian dragon turns his attention, from the massive book before him, towards the giant man made of pure energy.

"Time is something we actually have on our side here, my friend" He replies with a smirk, knowing he is able to manipulate time, without recourse, while in the palace. And though they have been there for weeks...reading, only a few days have gone by in the real world.

"I must figure out what his purpose was!"

The bright glow of the energy man's body illuminates the area rendering the candle pointless. The books now laying before the blue dragon are highlighted by the rainbow of color the Guardian's body produces, showing the four dragons they are reading about.

The now thicker book of Spyro sits atop the more brightly colored book of Cynder.

Spyro's story has increased in size with his countless victories as a Skylander, and as Cynder's life has become more clear, so too has the shade of darkness left the binding of her book. Both lives were a quick read, and not surprising in the least to either Guardian.

However, the two other books have brought a great deal of shock to Ignitus and his energy friend, and the reason they are taking such time.

The smaller dark purple book of Sparx, has a vibrant stripe of his father's color running down the spine of its binding, and is remarkably thick for a dragon of just under 8 years. Nearly as large as Spyro's book...the life story of Sparx is filled with many battles as well, however, most of the young dragon's fighting was in defense of his life. Never was he the aggressor.

"Maybe there is no underlying purpose for it Ignitus...except to protect Spyro's son...I was skeptical myself, when I first spoke with them...but after reading this book...I believe Sparx now." The energy creature says, remembering the days it took him to return to the rift with Sparx.

They were not alone.

He sits down before the Guardian of Time, and picks up the "Life story of Sparx", holding the book before the blue dragon's eyes. "Everything that young whelpling told me was true, and so too, what Malefor had said as well."

Ignitus turns his head towards the Guardian and gives him an uneasy stare. After a long pause, the blue dragon returns his eyes to the pages before him and continues to read.

"This little dragon learned much from him Ignitus!" The Guardian remarks while practically shoving Sparx' book in his face. "Whatever you feel that you need to know about him now...is in THIS book!"

Ignitus closes his eyes and turns to his old friend of many lifetimes.

"I know this dragon, my friend." He replies as his eyes open sternly. "There must be a reason for actions..."

"That is not who he is Ignitus...Stop focusing on this one chapter of his life!" The Guardian barks cutting his friend off, as he rises up to his feet.

"Is that how you look at Cynder...as the Terror of the Sky, Ignitus..." The energy man gripes, reminding him of his acceptance of a former evil dragoness, and her uncontrollable actions.

The angry energy giant's eyes glow red and focus sharply on the dragon before him.

"...Is that how you see ME...old friend?"

The Guardian of Time lowers his head with depression and remorse...though he has only been Ignitus for 5 years...he has been friends with this energy giant for centuries...in other lives. A sharp pain shoots through the blue dragon, knowing the haunted past of this old warrior standing before him.

"NO." Ignitus somberly replies, feeling he has insulted his friend.

The Guardian walks over to the blue dragon and lifts his muzzle to look him in the eye. A distinct smile crosses his face of colorful energy and his eyes return to normal.

"Then maybe...even Malefor deserves another chance..." He remarks, and places his hand upon the giant book of the former Dark Master.

"The proof is right here Ignitus..and no matter how many times you read this part..." The energy creature turns the pages from the beginning of the book, where Ignitus was reading from, to the back, and the brighter pages showing the part of his life where he protected his enemy's wife and child.

"...This is who he is now!"

The Blue Guardian dragon stands up on his feet and turns away. He walks several paces from his large friend and the even larger book of Malefor.

The indecision on his face is apparent, however, Ignitus turns to the energy Guardian and takes a deep breath.

"You're right, my old friend..." He says softly then looks down at the ground. "I am letting my personal feelings get in the way..."

Suddenly, a bright flash of light, from the back page of the large book, startles both Ignitus and The Guardian.

"What is going on?" The energy giant asks with apprehension, never seeing this from any of the books thus far.

Ignitus, not as startled, walks over to the large book, and turns to the last page. Both Guardian's eyes sparkle with the burning fire of history's pen, as a new set of symbols and words begin to burn into the pages.

"It is a moment in his life the history books feel necessary to record..." The Dragon of Time begins to remark, but quickly becomes distracted by the first symbol that begins to appear.

His eyes focus sharply and Ignitus holds his breath tight seeing the same symbol that adorns the cover of the purple book to his right.

"Spyro!" He says with shock.

Suddenly, the same bright glow coming from Malefor's book begins to fill the back pages of the purple hero's book, as well as the book still in the Guardian's hand.

"I think we have run out of time, Ignitus!" The energy giant barks with great concern, as he reads the pages filling with a very startling story.

"YES..." The Palace Guardian of Time replies sternly. His eyes open wide seeing history unfold before them.

"...We need to get back now!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back in the temporary Portal Station, Sparx' eyes wander around the large main room, taking in the magnificence of this important place. The large chandelier fills the Main Room in a pale blue light...allowing the young dragon's eyes to focus easily in this room, and what they see fill his soul with wonder.<p>

Barely able to see three days ago, and only focusing on his injured mother being carried by his new father...Sparx didn't notice anything the first time through the Main Room. Now with his eyes use to the brightness of this dimension, and with the even cooler feeling of shade upon them in the blue light, the young dragon can see this room is filled with many technologies that he has never seen before.

Video screens, tactical displays, and many different computers circle the room 360 degrees. Sparx is intrigued by the amount of information that passes before his eyes.

After staring at the many display screens, the young dragon looks above the flashing lights of technology, and can see a display of weapons & armor.

Along with a the vast history of battlements, is an archive of the Skylanders...and great moments frozen in time, by the camera's eye.

Thousand's of pictures, past and present, adorn the spherical walls of this dome-shaped room, and his eyes stop dead upon one in particular. Apprehension crosses Sparx' face, looking up at Spyro, in his General's armor, posing happily alongside the Portal Master.

However, there are no happy words being shouted from the office just next door.

Spyro and Gaven entered the room moments ago, and the yelling has not stopped since. Sparx can hear them bickering about the secrets he and Gaven's brother are keeping, and can't help but feel ashamed.

The young dragon tries to distract himself from his sorrow, by walking over to one of the many computers. He has never seen such a device, and tries to comprehend this technology.

A large screen shows a view of many places inside the Portal station, and quickly Sparx realizes what he is looking at. He can see himself in one of the pictures, and notices the camera on the wall to his right.

With the computer easy to understand, and Sparx being no dummy, he changes the feed to the security camera in the medical bay. With some quick manipulation...the young dragon focuses the camera, he noticed on the waiting room wall where he spent 3 days, to face Cynder's bed.

A smile crosses his muzzle, seeing his Mother resting peacefully.

However, The young dragon jumps suddenly, as another loud yelp from Spyro can be heard from the back office, quickly followed by Gaven's raised voice.

Sparx turns back to the view screen and lowers his head with depression.

"Please Mom...You have to wake up soon!" The young dragon says softly.

He walks away from the security station of the Main Room and slowly strolls over to the door of Gaven's office. He can hear the heated argument still brewing as Spyro continues to drill his commander for the whereabouts of Ignitus and The Guardian. The young dragon approaches just as Gaven gives in to his General's angered pleas.

"ALRIGHT ALREADY...SPYRO!" The Portal Master yells, then Sparx hears a thought-provoking reply.

"They went to the Palace of Time...to find out more of your son's...so called protector!"

Suddenly the room becomes quiet, and the young dragon gulps his saliva in fear.

"_What does that mean?"_ He asks himself _"What is the Palace of Time?"_

Sparx so desperately wants to get closer to the door to listen in, however he is sure it would open by itself if he gets to close, and would be in deeper if caught eves-dropping. The youngster thinks better not to get in even more trouble, and turns away from the door.

The two-toned purple dragon slowly walks to the one piece of furniture in the room that caught his eye upon entering, and the only thing he was told not to touch...Gaven's steel desk. A non-impressive piece of craftsmanship, however, the desk is a technical marvel. The young dragon stands in awe at the amount of information displayed for the Portal Master, and begins to scan the countless screens with amazement.

He can see readouts of different missions, taking place at this moment, as well as the health level of each Skylander involved.

Along with the ongoing mission reports, the countless screens at the work station flash news from hundreds of worlds...and many messages to the Skylanders.

One in particular catches the young dragon's attention...as he scans the desk, and his eyes focus with shock as they read the header.

**URGENT Message!**

To: **Sparx...Son of Spyro the Dragon**

Origin: **UNKNOWN**

Sender: **UNKNOWN**

The young dragon completely baffled, but also intrigued, feels compelled to read this message. Sparx quickly reaches his paw over to the display, and taps on the screen, however, as soon as his talon touches the header of this message, the power shuts down at Gaven's desk and a loud alarm goes off.

Sparx hastily jumps back from the desk then lowers his shoulders with depression.

"Maybe I should have just walked to the door!" He says to himself out loud, knowing he has done something really dumb.

The young dragon turns his head toward the door of Gaven's office as it opens wide. He is not surprised in the least to see both Portal Master & his 'General' Father giving him an angry look.

The tall elf-like Portal Master glances at his work station, and can tell what has happened by seeing the power shut down. He refocuses his eyes on the young dragon, and can see his sheer regret for touching something he was told not to.

"I'm sorry Gaven!" Sparx yelps quickly. "I didn't mean to..."

The Portal Master snaps his hand up, and Sparx is quick to become silent.

Gaven gives the young dragon a very uneasy stare, then without a word walks over to his desk to re-power his station.

A sharp pain shoots through Sparx' chest as he turns back towards Spyro...seeing the stare of disapproval he is getting from his father. The young dragon slinks over to his dad with his head down and his tail dragging behind him.

Sparx crawls alongside his father and lowers completely down to his belly. He turns his head slightly towards Spyro, then quickly looks away, still seeing the angry glare he is getting.

"That was stupid of me Dad" Sparx says somberly, and lowers his head all the way to the ground. "I'm so sorry for what I am doing to you...I must be making you look foolish before your Master"

Sparx is startled by the touch of his fathers wing against his flank, and more so as his Father lies beside him holding on tightly with that wing, then his arms. Spyro rests his muzzle between his son's white horns, as he lays his upper body gently atop his body holding him down.

"He is not my Master...Sparx. He is my commanding officer...and my friend, " The young father says to his boy calmly. "And you are not making ME look foolish...You are making yourself look foolish"

The young dragon sighs deeply feeling out-of-place in this world. For his entire life, Sparx only had four others that he needed to respect, he also only had one rule to follow...Stay alive.

Now the young dragon has countless people that surround him, all telling him what to do.

Spyro can hear the anguish in his son's deep breath. He lifts his head and moves to his son's side, grasping Sparx' muzzle gently with his paw. Spyro pulls his jaw to the right, so he can look his son eye to eye. The young father can see the uncertainty within them, and Spyro tries to comfort his child as best he can.

"I am not angry with you Sparx, neither is Gaven...and I'm sure you will never disrespect him like that again..." Spyro remarks with a kind tone in his voice, not trying to be overbearing, but still letting his son know what he did was wrong.

Spyro looks over at his superior officer and can see the old Master shaking his head. "We both know this is all new to you, and you are still trying to adapt..."

The purple dragon returns his now stern eyes to his son, and his voice becomes deeper and more direct. "...but you're gonna have to start listening to the people around you, Sparx...as if you were listening to your mother."

The two-toned purple dragon nods his head in acceptance, and continues to focus on his father's words.

Spyro close his eyes and takes a deep breath. He can see that he has Sparx' full attention, and the young father realizes, at this very moment, his son is learning his first life lesson from his DAD.

"In the little time I've known you...I can honestly say that I am impressed with the way you have handled yourself..."

Spyro opens his eyes and grasps the lower part of his son's muzzle gently but firmly. "...you've shown a lot of character by keeping your promise to your mother, while being scolded by a father you've only meet days ago. I can not imagine how difficult this has been on you, and I want you to know that I am here for you if you want to ask me anything."

"I can see in your eyes, you don't want to disappoint me, and I would never be disappointed at you, for sticking to your principles...especially under such pressure. However..." The purple dragon exclaims and lowers his head down to his son. Their eyes lock as Spyro continues with a somber tone in his voice. "...I will become very disappointed if my son can not respect the word of others."

Sparx closes his eyes feeling the pain his father's voice fills him with, but also because he knows how disrespectful he has been, and not just to his father.

He has disobeyed the Doctor, by going into his mother's room before being given permission, and Sparx knows he didn't just do it once. If Spyro and Dr. Stanley only knew how many times the young dragon was laying by Cynder's side, immersed in shadow...this speech may have come earlier.

Now, he has ignored an order from the Skylander Portal Master, and even though Sparx knew what he was doing at the time was wrong, he still did it.

It is just not the lifestyle he had become accustom to.

"I will try to do better, sir" Sparx says apprehensively...realizing it will take changing nearly every aspect of his old life, and some of the freedoms that he has taken for granted.

However, when he looks into the confident purple eyes of his father, Sparx remembers the countless stories his mother has told him of this great hero's pride, and the blood line that flows through himself. He quickly envisions that a life with this dragon as his guide should be nothing less than exceptional, and the youngster feels that fear quickly slip away.

Sparx smiles with his own confidence, and makes his WORD official to his FATHER.

"NO...I will DO better, DAD...I Promise!"

Spyro releases his son's jaw, and stands up on his four paws with a solid stance of pride. He reaches his left paw down to his boy, and the two-toned dragon grasps his father's arm. Spyro hoists his child to his feet, and holds him steadily before him with both front paws.

"That is all I needed to hear, My Son..." Spyro replies choking back some emotion, barely able to contain the pride he feels. "...I trust you will never disobey an order like that again and I consider this little incident handled...so I will not punish you."

The young dragon breathes a very large sigh of relief, and follows his father as he walks over to Gaven's desk.

"However, young dragon..." The Portal Master remarks, still with his back facing Spyro & Sparx. "...I am not as forgiving as your father!"

Sparx stops dead in his tracks, and lowers his head & tail down again in fear. Spyro can see his son cowering once more at the thought of his wrong doings, and quickly becomes angry.

"Stand up straight, Sparx!" Spyro bellows, and the young dragon is startled that his father is now yelling at him. The purple dragon strides over to his boy and grasp his jaw tightly lifting his head. "You do not show fear for making a mistake...understand!"

The surprised dragon is quick to shake his head yes, and quicker to appreciate the advice his father is still giving, even though this lesson is being taught with a more physical approach.

Spyro releases his son's jaw, then looks up at his superior office with a slight smile.

"You will make plenty of mistakes Sparx...trust me on that..." He says with a humorous tone in his voice, then turns his attention back to his son with the same smile. "...over the years, your father has made some of the more classic bonehead moves in history."

"That's for sure!" The Portal Master retorts, and Spyro's smile becomes larger.

The purple and gold dragon turns his body, alongside his son, to face the Portal Master. He wraps his left arm around Sparx' neck and pulls his head close to whisper loudly in his son's ear.

"Even the great Portal Master makes his share of blunders." He remarks, and Gaven's eyes show a bit of anger.

"ME! Never." The Portal Master arrogantly retorts.

"See son..." Spyro replies while looking at his friend. "...no one wants to make mistakes, and never do they want to admit them, but they still happen."

"What mistake?" Gaven asks with more arrogance, becoming a bit unnerved by his general's cryptic lesson to his son.

"Just ask him about the Siege of...Pandora's Tower!" Spyro sarcastically says to his son, and Sparx can see the expression of the Portal Master change from anger to embarrassment in a second.

"That's not fair Spyro, that was not fully my fault..." Gaven barks, with the voice of someone trying to cover his ass, but the purple dragon's stare burns through him. The Portal Master quickly changes his tone, knowing that his general is the one who completed the mission...then never told anyone the truth. His head lowers to the ground as he admits his little mistake. "I didn't know it was Pandora's Tower!"

Gaven's head pops back up and his eyes focus upon Spyro.

"And I'm glad you didn't open that box...when you leveled the entire place with your Fury!"

The purple dragon's shoulders slump with embarrassment, and he takes a deep breath as well. He turns to look at his son, whom has already spun his head around to see why his father suddenly gasped.

"Like I said...We all make mistakes..." Spyro jokes, quickly changing topic "...but if you can learn from them Sparx...you will find that you'll make less and less..."

Spyro makes sure his next point is driven home as his eyes & voice become very serious. "...but you can never be afraid of making mistakes, or you will give your enemy a huge advantage from the start."

The young dragon understands the definite wisdom in that statement, however, Sparx still lowers his head again...this time not with fear but with depression.

Spyro can see the anguish in his son's face, and becomes upset. He can tell there is much more to this reaction, but doesn't know if asking his son will be broaching the subject he swore not to talk about.

However, a fatherly instinct takes over, compelling the purple dragon to ask

"What is wrong Sparx?" Spyro's voice is filled with great concern. "Why are you so upset?"

The young dragon turns to his father with glassy eyes, and a cracking voice. "It's so different here, Dad..."

Spyro hears the long pause from his son, and can see the even longer stare fill his eyes. Tears begin to form in the young father's eyes as he feels the pain of not being there for his son so many years...not knowing why he is suffering like this.

The tough hero gently wipes the tears from his son's eyes while still staring deep into them. Spyro can tell his feelings are about something in his past, but still he wants nothing more than to comfort his son, and it is frustrating that he can't without knowing what is bothering him.

"Why?" Spyro asks...sure that he will not get an answer, but that does not stop a father from wanting to learn what is troubling his boy. "Please...Sparx, tell me why it is so different here?"

The young dragon lowers his head once more in silence, and Spyro drops his head as well seeing Sparx clam up quickly. He can tell he will not be getting an answer anytime soon...until.

"I have made some pretty big mistakes in my life too, Dad..." Sparx suddenly says, and Spyro's head snaps up quick to attention, as does Gaven's. "...but if you made a mistake there..."

Sparx suddenly pauses, and a different look fills his eyes...one of pain. The young dragon lowers his head once again, and in a very somber voice continues.

"...somebody always got hurt, or worse yet ..." He remarks, then raises his head and looks his father dead in the eye. "...someone would die!"

Spyro can hear the resonating sound of pain in that last statement by his son, and knows something he did cost him dearly. The young father embraces his boy tightly, allowing him to feel the comfort of a secure grip and a voice of reason.

"It is not that much different here my son..." Spyro replies with a soft whisper, remembering his brother, and the one whom Cynder honored...giving his name to this special dragon.

Spyro lowers his head recalling the exact moment when he made a bad choice himself, and the price he paid for his mistake. A simple choice to stay in the Valley when his brother told him of an impending storm, the likes of which New Warfang had never seen.

He remembers thinking his brother was over-reacting again, and that there was no possible way 'a rain storm' could be so devastating to him.

"...even a small mistake, can make a large impact on your life."

The purple hero's voice is barely audible, to the young dragon, as he finishes his thought. Sparx can feel his Father's embrace tighten, and also that he is breathing heavily from emotion.

However, Spyro suddenly stops his heavy breathing, and Sparx can feel his father's embrace change. The sound of breath in his left ear lets the young dragon know, his father has turned his head to face him, and is about to say something important. The two-toned purple dragon holds his breath himself, to take in a very poignant lesson from his wise father.

"These are the mistakes that stay with you forever, and you will feel as if the memory of that person is betraying you, even haunting you..." Spyro continues...then pulls his muzzle away from his son's ear. He shows his child a deep look of remorse, but then a smile begins to form on his face. The young father's voice becomes more clear and unwavering.

"...but you will also come to learn the most from these mistakes, and in that way, their memory will remain a part of you...to teach you...so you will never make that mistake again." The purple dragon tells his boy, feeling a moment of inner peace himself. "That is when you will find their memory will no longer betray you...but instead, be a guide for you."

Sparx pulls his father back into a tight embrace and whispers a heart-felt thank you in his ear. For the first time since returning to his rightful home, the young dragon feels like he has been able to discuss a part of his past, with his father.

Spyro can feel a large amount of tension leave his son's body, and the smile on his face becomes wider. He allows his boy to hold him as long as he wants, feeling a bit of the tension leave his body as well.

Gaven turns from his work station, as it begins to power back up, and watches the new Father and his Son in a loving embrace. The old Master feels a well of pride for his young General, and can not help the smile quickly form on his face. However, he is just as fast to stop this show of affection, wanting an answer to this message.

"I would give you two a moment alone, but there is still this urgent matter at hand!" Gaven barks startling both dragons. "So if you don't mind General...could you hug your curious son over here, so he can have a look at this message he was in such a hurry to see."

Spyro snaps out of his moment of compassion for his son and looks over to his commanding officer with a bit of embarrassment on his face.

"Sorry, Sir!" The purple dragon yelps, and looks into his son's eyes.

"I guess we better get over there before he gets angrier with you, and decides to cut off your paw for touching his desk." Spyro says with humor, and his son gives a slight chuckle himself. The purple dragon smiles hearing no fear in his son's laughter.

Spyro begins walking, with his son by his side, over to the large steel desk offset to the north side of the Main Room. He has a proud look on his face now, as his son strides step for step with him, no longer feeling the fear of his mistake, ready for what ever punishment Gaven decides to give him.

As Spyro and Sparx come to a stop along the side of the large desk, The Portal Master opens a small drawer to his right. Both dragons gasp as his hand retrieves a large ornate knife...then lays it on the surface before Sparx' eyes.

Spyro knows the significance of this blade having seen it before himself, and is amazed that Gaven has pulled this knife from his desk. However, seeing the reaction of Sparx, the purple dragon quickly quiets himself not to give anything, that he knows, away.

Sparx, on the other hand, quickly becomes nervous and stares at the jewel-handled knife sitting two feet from his face.

"Well now, young dragon..." Gaven barks, snapping Sparx' eyes to him. "It seems you have a problem following orders."

Gaven smirks at the now shuttering dragon, and picks the knife up in his large hand. He moves towards Sparx and lowers to a knee to get closer, and though he wants to run like hell, the young dragon does not back away.

"Show me which paw you touched my desk with young whelpling?" Gaven creepily asks, and Sparx looks over to his father with concern, however, he can not see his reactions. Spyro has turned his head away, not wanting his son to see the smile on his face, knowing that Gaven is not just busting his chops, but he is also about to bestow a great honor upon him.

Sparx looks back at the Portal Master and can see the seriousness upon his face. The young dragon is in such inner turmoil, not wanting to lose his paw, but also not wanting to disobey the words his father just spoke to him.

Apprehensively, the two-toned purple dragon slowly raises his right paw out to Gaven.

The Portal Master snatches Sparx' paw in his left hand, and slams the butt of the knife into the young dragon's palm.

"This blade is given only to the personal valet of the Portal Master." Gaven remarks with pride, and stares into the still shocked dragon's eyes. However his voice becomes deeper and more direct as he pulls Sparx face to muzzle "And you will do...what ever it is I tell you to do...without question. Do You Understand ME!"

Sparx raises and lowers his head quickly, and Gaven stands back to his feet. A slight smile fills his face as he looks down at the young dragon staring up at him. "In the process, you will learn so much more than how to just listen."

A look of astonishment fills Sparx' face as he realizes his punishment is to be taught a lesson, or two, by the Portal Master of the Skylanders. He glances back to his father seeing a big smile on his face, and a single tear coming from the pride filled eyes of Spyro.

"Now...if you don't mind, my new apprentice..." Gaven remarks, as he touches the screen that Sparx had placed his paw upon earlier. "...can read this message for me!"

Spyro's smile leaves his face, as his brow lowers with a look of deep concern.

"You can not read the message that was sent Gaven!" He remarks, knowing the linguistic capabilities of a Master with such a diverse group of fighters. However, as the large screen before them fills with strange symbols, Spyro can see the Portal Master's boggle. The message is written in an extinct language, and one symbol strikes fear into the eyes of the purple and gold dragon, as he scans this encrypted message. He quickly gasps a deep breath and walks up to the screen with angry stare.

"What is it General, can you understand these symbols?" Gaven asks with shock.

"No!" Spyro remarks with apprehension, then quickly snaps his head over to the Portal Master. "I only recognize one symbol, but I do know what language this is!"

Spyro turns to his son, and can see his eyes locked on the symbols before him in awe, and realizes he is able to read the message.

"I've seen it once before...deep in the catacombs under the old city of Warfang. It is the first language of the dragons, used by the great ancestors of Avalar themselves!" Spyro says aloud, then turns his head back to his friend. "And the one symbol that I do recognize means...Dark Master!"

Spyro then snaps his head back to his son.

"Now what I want to know, is how you can read a language that is long since forgotten, Sparx!" Spyro barks with some anger in his voice "And I don't want to hear that you can't, because I saw you hold your breath as you were reading it."

Sparx immediately understood the message before him, and knows exactly who has sent it. He turns to his father and lowers his shoulders.

"I can read it, Dad, and I want nothing more than to tell you what it says, and who it is from " Sparx replies sheepishly, however his eyes focus solidly on his father and his voice becomes more stable and direct "But you told me not to say a word until Mom woke up."

Spyro eyes open with shock and he walks up to his son.

"So...this message comes from someone in your past?" He asks with shock, and quickly becomes a bit bothered knowing his son will not say a word now.

"YOU WILL TELL US SPARX...or I will take that knife and cut off more than just your paw!" Gaven barks, and the two toned dragon looks up at his new Master with fear.

However, Spyro turns to the tall old man with a look of anger and rises up on his hind legs.

"Stop already Gaven...Can you not see how confused you're making my son feel." Spyro remarks, then returns to his four paws and faces the young dragon. "How can you force him to do something I just told him not to do, and still believe that he would respect me."

Spyro strides gently to his son and places his paw upon the shaking dragon's neck.

"I'm sorry Sparx." Spyro says to his son, trying to calm him down.

"I know you can not tell me everything the message says..." His voice is calm and gentle, like a father asking his son, not a General scolding a recruit. "...but is there anything you can tell us that will not break your promise. We really need to know what we can, and I would not ask if I didn't believe this to be so important."

Sparx lowers his head for a moment, then looks back up at the screen. His eyes focus at the top and he slowly reads the old symbols of an extinct language.

"_**Stripe...your family is in grave danger. The Dark Master is aware of your return to the Dragon Realms, and his return will be forth coming.**_"

Suddenly, the young dragon takes a deep breath, and looks at Spyro as he read out the next set of symbols. _**"I must speak with your Father immediately!"**_

"ME!" Spyro yelps with shock, knowing this is the same ONE that Cynder & Sparx will not tell him about.

The two-toned son of Spyro lowers his head and looks back at his father.

"That's what it says, dad...but the rest I don't understand." Sparx turns his eyes back up to the screen, and the lower half of the message. "It is just numbers...and I don't know what they mean."

"Numbers?" Gaven quips from behind his desk, and Sparx snaps his head around to the old master. "Read them out to me young dragon...I think I may know what they are."

Sparx shows him a look of confusion, but doesn't hesitate to read the long series of numbers. Eight sets of four digits to be exact, and Gaven knows right away what these numbers are for, he just couldn't read them.

"Just as I thought..." Gaven remarks as he taps the numbers, Sparx is yelling out, into his computer.

Suddenly the blue light of the chandelier goes dark, and millions of small white lights begin to streak against the wall, from the large fixture. Like a planetarium, this massive dome now shows a stellar map of the Skylands galaxy and the Realm of the Dragons. The Chandelier begins to change its shape, and the map focuses on one part of the galaxy as it zooms in. A small red planet comes into focus, hovering as a holographic ball in the center of the Main Room.

The dark red planet spins around several times finally coming to a stop and showing a white dot on the northern hemisphere.

"...Coordinates!"

Spyro turns to his son with a smirk after seeing the bright dot on the red planet before his eyes.

"It looks like you won't have to keep that secret much longer after all Sparx!" He yelps and gives his commanding officer a nod.

Gaven taps several more buttons on his control panel and the map of the stars disappears. The chandelier returns to its normal shape, and the soft blue light once again begins to shine from the center of the Main Room.

Suddenly a portal opens filling Sparx' eyes with a familiar and terrifying sight. He can see a baron wasteland, through the swirl of energy, just like the place he called home for nearly 8 years. The young dragon notices his father ready himself to walk through the portal, and quickly jumps in front of Spyro.

"NO!" He yelps with a twinge of fear in his voice "You will learn of Mom's Secret on your own...and I can not let that happen!"

Spyro holds his paw up, hearing Gaven take a deep breath, knowing the Portal Master is about to start yelling at his boy once more for interfering with a mission.

The purple dragon stares his son eye to eye.

"What would you have me do then Sparx...ignore this message to my son, who by all intensive purposes should not have been born yet...What would you do?" He says with a stern voice and no emotion, finally having his fill of these annoying secrets. Sparx lowers his head, hearing a tone in his father's voice of being fed up.

"...Should I just forget that your mother is keeping something from me that you both believe would break up our marriage..." Spyro continues with more rage in his voice, then grasps his son by the shoulders. "...or the fact that a message, TO MY 3 DAY OLD SON, regarding the Dark Master was sent by the one who you will not tell me about...AND he wants to talk to ME!"

The young dragon turns his head towards the portal, and gazes at the world he left behind.

"I'm sorry Dad...you're right." Sparx says somberly, and steps out of his father's way. However, as Spyro walks by, the young dragon grasps Spyro's left forearm.

"Let me go with you...please" Sparx asks with deep sincerity in his voice. "I think it would be for the best, if I can explain what you find out Dad."

Knowing his translation of this message will certainly uncover the secret Sparx swore not to tell, the young father almost feels guilty. Spyro is about to nod his head yes to let him come...however.

"Not a chance!" The Portal Master barks from behind, and Spyro looks back at his commanding officer. Gaven can see the look he is getting from his General and immediately repeats his denial.

"No way Spyro...He is not a Skylander, and is not permitted to go on any mission."

The purple dragon says nothing, but looks back over to his son. He can see pure anxiety begin to fill his youngster's face, and Spyro lowers his head in thought.

"I can not go then, Master Gaven..." Spyro remarks and his son opens his eyes wide with shock. Spyro lifts his head up and smiles at his boy, he then turns and walks over to the Portal Master's desk. "This is a strange environment...I would be a fool to go there without a GUIDE, and my son is familiar with this area..."

Spyro arrogantly smirks at his commanding officer and begins to quote regulations to him "...under code 145 A: regarding new areas of exploration...a Skylander can be accompanied by a civilian with possible knowledge of the..."

"ENOUGH...General..." The Portal Master barks cutting Spyro off. Gaven's eyes narrow with a bit of anger knowing his General is pulling a very dirty trick. "...I know the damn regulations...I wrote them!"

An uncomfortable silence fills the room again, until Spyro begins to laugh. Gaven gives him a smug look, then the old master smiles himself seeing his friend is just trying to be the peacemaker he is...doing what he can to make everyone happy. A trait that this purple dragon has shown many times in the past with great success.

"Come on, Master Gaven...I know he will stay by my side." Spyro replies confidently.

The General walks up to the Portal Master's desk and hops his front paws upon the surface. He arches his head over the steel surface, littered with controls, to look his friend in the eye.

"I trust him with my life Gaven...he is my son!"

The old Portal Master gives a great sigh, turns to his right, and opens the same drawer of his desk where the knife was stored. He reaches in once more, this time pulling out a plate of armor, tossing it to the young dragon standing by the swirling portal.

Sparx looks down at the plain piece of tail armor with a sheath for the knife he was given. Unlike the jewel-encrusted blade, this armor is bland and unattractive, however, his eyes still light up as he can see the insignia on the back. The Crest of Avalar interlocked with the Skylander's symbol of the purple dragon.

Spyro's first set of Skyland armor.

The two-toned purple dragon quickly places the tail plate on his back...strapping it across his gold midsection. Sparx sheaths the jeweled dagger into its holder, and turns with an awe-struck look to his smiling father.

"You may trust him Spyro because he is your son, but you still do not really know him...so be careful!" Gaven says quietly to his General, and Spyro turns back to his friend hearing his concern

"I can not detect anything on that planet, since it is beyond the Outer Realms, so if you encounter any trouble and if your son chooses to run..."

"Never!" Spyro barks before the words fully come from Gaven's mouth. "He is not just a part of me, but he is also a part of Cynder..."

Spyro drops his front paws back to the ground and turns towards his son and the portal before him.

"...the word RUN is not in either of our vocabularies!"

The purple dragon strolls up to his son and stands tall over his head. Spyro slowly raise his right front paw and cups Sparx's jaw, gently lifting it in his palm. He does not look at his son right away, only staring over his head into the swirling image of the portal behind him with his chest proudly out.

Spyro then looks down at the focused young dragon, and can once again see his wife's steady eyes in the purple iris's of his son.

"I know you will be there for Me, Sparx, and I do trust you..." Spyro says with a great deal of pride, however, he lowers his head, grasps the back of Sparx' neck and pulls his ear towards his muzzle. "But now you better start trusting me...because I lied too..."

Spyro places his other paw upon his son's muzzle and pulls his head up violently to stare him in the eye. A deep anger fills his hushed voice

"Of course I can read the ancient language of the dragons..." He says smugly "...and I can not wait to hear what Malefor wants to talk to me about...or what you will have to say about it!"

Sparx eyes open wide as his father releases the tight grip upon his neck and walks into the portal. The young dragon gives the Portal Master an uneasy stare filled with embarrassment, then quickly follows his father, once again, dragging his tail in fear.


	14. Confessions of the Soul

**I know what your thinking when you see the title of this chapter.**

**A very mushy discussion between father and son...well you're right, but you need the mushy crap sometimes**

* * *

><p>Chapter 14 Confessions of the Soul<p>

On the dark red surface of a small planet, far beyond the Outer Realms of the Dragon Worlds, forms a disk of swirling energy. Just a second after stepping trough the portal in the Main Room, Spyro places his front paw down on the rocky surface of this distant planet. The purple dragon strides several paces away, clearing the way for his son who should be following shortly. He turns his head left and right, scanning the area for any hostile activity, but mostly, his eyes search for the one he has come to see...Malefor.

Butterflies fill his stomach, as a feeling of déjà vu overcomes his senses. Spyro can smell the familiar scent of his old foe, but he can not see him. He turns his head around to check his back side, a place where the Dark Master always attacks from, but all he can see is the portal behind him and a vast wasteland beyond that.

Suddenly, Sparx steps from the swirling disk of energy, then loses his balance. He falls face first to the ground, not realizing the portal was hovering over a foot in the air.

Spyro gives a slight chuckle seeing his son fall victim to a rookie mistake, but quickly returns a stern gaze of anger as he helps Sparx to his feet. The two lock eyes and Spyro can see the fear he has put into his son with his look, and the statement he made moments ago.

Sparx lowers completely to the ground cowering with the pain his father's dead eyes give him.

"I wanted to tell you Dad...honestly I did, but seeing your reaction, maybe it was better that I didn't." He remarks looking back up at Spyro. "Mom said you would take this news very hard, and I never understood why."

"It's because of who he is, Sparx, and...what he did to your Mother!" Spyro yelps, then lowers his head feeling the same pain his son feels. Knowing a secret his wife told him long after Malefor's defeat, one that still burns inside of him to this day.

Sparx raises his head from the ground and turns to his father with a curious look.

"What did he do?" The young dragon asks with a solid voice of want. "Malefor would never discuss his time with Mom...he would always tell me he was too embarrassed of what he did."

"As well he should be..." Spyro barks and looks back at his son. "He turned your mother into a ruthless killer, forcing her to do things I only hear about in her nightmares..."

Suddenly, Spyro looks away from his son, and sharply stares towards the horizon. His eyes never blink...just focusing on one spot.

Sparx can see his father's small ear flaps turn forward to catch any sound, and his attention is now focused on what is in front of his face.

"What is it Dad?" Sparx asks, now staring in the same direction as Spyro, scanning for any movement. The young dragon is familiar with this land, though it is not the same place he spent 8 years...it has the same feel...hell like. Sparx looks with his father for any sign of enemy attack, but neither see anything.

"I thought I heard something, Sparx!" Spyro says cautiously, still staring towards the noise he heard. Both dragons continue to gaze in the same direction, waiting for any sign of life.

"Dad..." Sparx says quietly, breaking the long period of tense silence. "...since the cat is out of the bag, and we appear to be alone...do you think we can discuss this a little more."

The purple dragon takes a long deep breath, then finally blinks and looks down at his son. Spyro smiles slightly at the young dragon and finds a place on the ground for himself to lay down.

Not seeing Malefor or any other signs of hostility in the area, the new father decides this is a good time to have this odd conversation with his son. He finds a flat area, next to Sparx and the still open portal back to the station, laying down cautiously...still looking around like a hawk.

"What is on your mind, son?" Spyro says calmly and Sparx raises his head up higher to speak.

"Are you angry with me?" He asks with a timid voice, and Spyro takes another deep breath.

The young dragon can tell his father is upset, and is sure his response is not what he wants to hear. However, Spyro shocks him with his reply.

"Absolutely NOT!" He says, and places his arm around the young dragon to his side. Spyro lowers his muzzle down atop of Sparx, cradling his son's head against his chest.

"And I am not angry with your Mother either...she was placed in a position that she could not avoid, and what she did, saved my son's life..." Spyro remarks with a sorrowful tone in his voice. "...there was no way she could be handicapped like that, and still survive for that long by herself"

Sparx can hear the shakiness in Spyro's voice, but also can not believe the sound of understanding in his words. The young dragon pulls his head back to look at his father's distant stare.

"You knew before the message...didn't you?" Sparx asks with apprehension, and Spyro's eyes refocus back to his son.

"Why would my son call me...Malefor." Spyro replies, then stands back upon his feet. The purple dragon walks slowly from his son, and looks up at the stars in the sky. He takes several deep breaths wondering what his boy must be thinking.

"I had a good suspicion when Cynder would not speak to me Sparx!" Spyro says, still looking up at the sky. His eyes finally locating the binary star that Avalar circles, allowing him to think of home.

"Your mother could always tell me anything..." The purple dragon remarks, then cranes his head around to look back at the dragon that reminds him so much of Cynder. He lowers his head and continues with barely a whisper.

"...except about the darkest moments of her life."

Spyro walks over to his son, and once again lays down, this time directly in front of his adolescent boy. He grasps the right paw of Sparx and stares into his eyes.

"I could tell just by looking at her, Sparx...that this was one of those darkest moments." The young father tells his son gently.

"Also by the way you and the Guardian were acting...It was easy for me to figure out."

The two-toned purple dragon lowers his head and closes his eyes.

"Why didn't you say anything, Dad?" He says feeling a great deal of bitterness in his father's deception.

Spyro can hear the angst in his son's voice and moves his paw to Sparx' jaw. He raises his boy's head to look him square in the eye, and a smug grin crosses the purple dragon's features. Spyro sees the same look of pain in his son's eyes he had himself, that of being lied too.

"I didn't do that to hurt you Sparx...I did that to help you, and your mother!" Spyro says with a confident voice. "I did not want the Skylanders to know that my wife and son were consorting with the Dark Master, until I was able to find out...Why!"

"Consorting!" Sparx yelps with surprise. His eyes begin to show rage hearing Spyro talk of his mentor and protector, as the enemy.

"If you consider protecting your son and your wife consorting...then yes...he's guilty!" The young dragon retorts with an arrogance that smacks Spyro in the face.

He can not believe that Sparx is defending Malefor.

"How dare you!" Spyro remarks and grips his son's jaw tighter in his paw. "The Dark Master will pay for how he's influenced you..."

"He is not the Dark Master...!" Sparx snaps with pure anger, yanking his muzzle from his father's grip, feeling this is the time to actually come clean with all the details. The young dragon stands up and backs away from Spyro a step. "...if you think he is, then so is MOM."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" The purple hero barks as he stands up on his feet as well. Anger fills his eyes, and the two dragons stare at each other, both in a defensive posture.

"I said if you think Malefor is THE Dark Master, because of how he was influenced, then so was Mom..." Sparx snarls with conviction. He takes a step forward getting muzzle to muzzle with Spyro, and stares into his eyes with a fierce rage of his own.

"...and so were you, when you attacked the Guardian, and sent her there!"

Sparx continues to snarl in his father's face, however, he stops abruptly as Spyro's eyes open wide with shock. The young dragon watches his father take a step back and fall on his duff with a thousand yard stare on his face, and suddenly feels bad about what he said.

He can see Spyro tear up from the quick flash back of that moment, still only 3 days fresh in his mind, and the young dragon becomes even more upset. He wanted to defend his mentor and protector, but not at the cost of his father's feelings.

"Dad...I'm sorry...I didn't mean it like that!" Sparx says somberly, and sits down alongside his stunned father. The young dragon rubs his muzzle under Spyro's jaw, and places his head against his gold chest.

"I was just upset at how you were talking about Malefor!"

Sparx can hear his father's heart skip a beat, hearing him talk of his enemy as a friend.

The young dragon lowers his head away from his father, feeling no response to his touch. Sparx can tell he has upset him with what he said and decides it is best to just walk away.

However, Spyro lets his son get only a step from him before he grasps the young dragon in his arms, pulling his back against his chest. He places his massive forearms across Sparx' gold chest plate, holding him in place.

The startled young dragon does not struggle in the secure grasp of his father.

"I want to know everything Sparx." He says softly in his son's ear. Sparx can feel a tear fall atop his head as Spyro continues to speak. "Tell me why my son feels it necessary to defend such an evil dragon!"

Spyro can feel his son power his arms out from under his strong grip, then he reaches them up to hold his father's embrace tighter to himself. The young dragon takes a deep breath, readying to tell his father all he knows.

"I need to tell you something first..." Sparx says, looking down at the purple arms of his father, seeing the remarkable resemblance to his own...only lighter in color.

"I love you Dad...and in these 3 short days, I have quickly found that you are the dragon I was supposed to be, and the one I want to be!" He says confidently, but then holds his father's arms with a stronger grip, knowing what he will say is not going to sit easily.

"But, I love him too!" Sparx whispers, and Spyro's embrace becomes incredibly tight, almost to the point of suffocation, and though he feels it hard to draw breath, Sparx continues to talk about his 'Guardian'.

"He took me in when Mom disappeared, even after she had turned her back on his help and ran away. Malefor never made me feel like I was unwanted, and helped me understand the powers of this incredible bloodline that flows through my body."

Sparx turns his head up to look into his father's eyes.

"He is not evil...and you will see that when you meet him."

Spyro continues holding Sparx, unable to speak after hearing what he heard. The young dragon knows he has hurt his father's pride this time, but felt it necessary to stop lying to him.

"I understand why you feel this way Dad..." Sparx says, and is startled as his father man-handles his body to stand him face to face.

"YOU UNDERSTAND!" Spyro yells, feeling his rage for Malefor rise to the surface. "You can not possibly understand, if you think he was helping you for no reason."

"NO Dad...Your wrong! I understand more than you think I do." Sparx replies with no delay, staring dead into his father's eyes. "I understand that you know him only as the Dark Master, and that his reign of terror was horrific...But that is not who Malefor is"

The young dragon again breaks the hold his father has on him, quite easily, then walks several paces away staring across the horizon of this barren planet. Spurts of fires in the distance and the faint smells of sulfur and death, fill Sparx' nostrils with a scented reminder of his hellish home.

"I know of him only as a father-figure, protective of all he kept under his watchful eyes..."

Spyro jumps to his feet, and cuts his son off with an angry bark.

"A FATHER!"

Sparx snaps his head back to the angry purple dragon, and quickly realizes that was not the right thing to say.

"I didn't mean it like that Dad..." The young dragon replies to Spyro's fast response. Sparx strides quickly back to his father...tightly grasping his shoulders, and staring him dead in the eyes. "You Are My Father!...and he made damn sure I knew that every day."

Spyro peers through his son with a devastated look of shock. He is still angry, but can not help but feel a certain joy in his son's last words.

However, he can also see Sparx' eyes fill with deep sorrow, and tears begin to form as his son takes a deep labored breath.

"And so did Snow..." The young dragon softly cries, then release his grip on his father's shoulders. Sparx drops back down to four paws and skulks away in a fog of depression.

Spyro sits for a second, still trying to get over the bombshell his son just dropped. The purple dragon knew that Malefor was his protector, but never did he think that Sparx was his guest voluntarily. The young father stews in the thought of his former enemy influencing his son in such a way, that he thinks of the Dark Master as a father-figure.

However, Spyro's eyes see the heavy depression in his son's stride, and even more so as his falls to the ground and breaks down in tears.

"Sparx!" Spyro yelps, overcome by his son's emotional outburst. The young father quickly rushes over to his side, laying atop his boy and holding him tight.

He says nothing to the young dragon, but gently rubs the area behind his son's horns, letting him know he is there. Spyro can feel the pure sadness rushing through his son's shaking body, and can not help but to feel his sorrow. The purple hero slides his body to the right side of his son and looks into his tear-filled eyes.

"I miss her so much Dad!" Sparx says with a great pain in his struggling voice, and Spyro is quickly taken by the fact he is not upset about Malefor, but of this Snow individual instead.

The young father once again grasps his son tightly, holding him in his arms, trying to take his pain.

"Who is Snow?" Spyro softly asks in Sparx' ear, wanting to hear of his son's past, hoping he can help ease his suffering with knowledge.

However, Spyro becomes anxious as his son becomes more distraught. He can sense that may not be what he wants to talk about, and quickly tries to calm him down again.

"It's OK Sparx...You don't need to tell me if you don't..."

Spyro stops talking abruptly as a slight chuckle comes from the two-toned purple dragon in his arm...followed by a large smile.

"She was so beautiful, Dad..." Sparx says with a forced voice of happiness "...and her fur was as soft and white as new fallen snow."

Sparx straightens himself up, and wipes the tears from the side of his muzzle. He looks at his father with a great deal of humility in his eyes.

"She was a small thing, looking much like that cheetah warrior, Hunter, that came to visit Mom. Only, she couldn't walk on her hind legs like him, and was less than half his size..." Sparx says, trying to give his father an accurate description of the White Shepard.

"...but her heart, Dad...that was as big as a dragon's." Sparx continues with pure pride in his words.

The youngster pauses for a moment in his memories, and his emotions again return to sadness. Sparx takes a deep breath to cleanse his thoughts, and grasps his father's paw. He looks into his eyes to show the pure feelings he has for this unknown creature.

"She was the one who saved my life...and helped during my darkest days..." Sparx says softly, then looks down at the ground. "...right after Mom disappeared."

The young dragon begins to tell the tale of that fateful day, and how he was ambushed in the home Cynder had found after leaving Malefor.

_He had argued with his Mother that morning, telling her that__he__ would be going to find food this time, not wanting her to leave the safety of their small cave. _

_The magic Cynder had filled herself with before leaving the comfort of Malefor's lair, had long run out months ago, so she could no longer hide herself in Shadow. However, that did not stop a desperate mother from going out every day to find food for her baby._

"I would see her come back with more and more scars, Dad...just so I could have something to eat, and she would never take any for herself!" The young dragon cries, and looks back up to his father's concerned and attentive eyes.

"I just couldn't let her go that day...she was so weak" He says with a pain in his chest, remembering it as the last time he saw his Mother "She was so stubborn, and just wouldn't let me go"

Several gathered tears fall from Sparx' face, as he once again looks down in shame, seeing his last moment with his mother, and the image of her limping towards the cave entrance to forage for whatever she could find.

"I was so angry that I yelled something mean that made her cry" Sparx says staring at a rock by his front paw, wishing he could crawl under it. "I don't remember what I said...But I do know, I ran off without saying I loved her!"

_Regardless of his mother's feelings, the 18 month old whelpling when out to forage on his own. Countless thoughts race through his head as he flies away from his crying Mother, quickly becoming upset venturing out by himself. _

_Sparx had been left at home alone many times, but this was the first time he was outside the home, Cynder found, on his own. He stops after only a few hundred yards and looks down, seeing his Mom is now standing at the entrance of the small hole burrowed into the base of the mountain. He can see the anguish in her eyes as they stare at each other, but knows he can not go back without food for HER._

_Sparx looks away from his mother, and Cynder quickly feels the fear in her heart as he flies off._

" I heard her yell NO, Dad..." Sparx says somberly, still unable to raise his head to look at his father. "...but I didn't stop...I couldn't stop...Mom was dying and I was just not gonna let that happen"

_In the mountains near Malefor's lair...but still very close to the new home that Cynder found for herself. Sparx is quick to find a stray demon, and even quicker to pounce. Though they are dirty, and evil to the bone, they still have meat...and that is what Cynder desperately needs. _

_With a fear of being alone and knowing how malnourished his mother is, the whelpling works fast. With the advantage of flight, something Cynder did not have without a wing, Sparx easily strikes the unsuspecting creature from above. He digs his talons deep into the back of this fairly husky creature, then bites down hard upon the neck of his prey._ _Sparx shifts his weight to the right, then viciously snaps the head of the dog-like animal to the left, killing it quickly and as quietly as possible._

_The young dragon releases his kill, and looks around to make sure no one heard the slight yelp of pain from his victim. He eyes focus down the mountain at a group of demons that have gathered, staring up in his general direction. Sparx quickly crouches down out of sight, but keeps a visual on them until they decide to walk away...and luckily that is what they do._

_The young dragon takes a deep breath, looks down at his accomplishment, and smiles. He hastily digs his front claws into this large meal for his mother, and some for himself with this guy's size. Sparx looks around cautiously again, then spreads his wings. With a strong leap from his rear paws, the young dragon catapults himself from the mountain, gliding silently back to his home. He thrusts his rear talons into the beast for added grip, and streamlines his body the best he can for more speed. _

"I remember feeling so proud of myself, knowing that I was finally not going to be such a burden to Mom...but be more like her hero. She would never have to see the dragon that she hated, if I could take care of her..."

Sparx once again looks down at the ground, and Spyro can feel the pain well up in his son.

"...But, when I got back home with my prize...and my pride ..." Sparx says with great emotion, then looks back at his father with tears flowing from his eyes. "...she was gone!"

Spyro grabs his son and holds him tight as he breaks down crying, trying his best to comfort him.

"I ran outside and yelled as loud as I could for her..." Sparx wails in his father's arms. "...even though Mom said never to do that...I didn't care. I knew something was wrong, and I was scared...I just wanted her to come back"

Spyro can feel his son begin to shake harder in his arms, so he embraces him tighter as he continues to release emotion from that day. The young dragon cries heavily for a moment feeling the pain of her disappearance all over again.

Suddenly, Sparx composes himself, remembering his Mom is alive and well just on the other side of the portal next to him.

Sparx breaks his embrace with Spyro, and looks him in the eye with a compassionate stare. The young father can see his son's thankfulness for him just being there to listen and hold him.

Sparx once again continues to tell his father of the day that changed his life, and a new "Mentor" that took him by the horns.

"I ran back inside to make sure I didn't miss something...anything, but that was a big mistake." Sparx says with a fearful remembrance of that exact moment. "My yelling had brought hundreds of demons, which found their way into our home, blocking the only way out."

_Heavily outnumbered, Sparx knows he has no chance of powering his way through the mass of bodies now standing inside his home. _

_However, running is not on his mind. _

_He can tell with the speed in which these creatures swarmed, they must have been close, and are probably the ones that took his Mother. His eyes focus upon the lead dog of this ferocious pack, and the blood dripping from his snarling teeth._

"_You killed my mother!" He growls, and the lead demon becomes startled._

_The young dragon's pupils fade from his eyes, and the streak of bright purple scales down his back begin to darken._

"I don't remember much of what happened after that..." Sparx remarks to his father, "...but I was told that I wiped them all out with some sort of wave of power from my body...then I passed out."

Spyro grasps his son's paw in his own tightly, hearing him once again pause to take a breath.

"Suddenly, I felt myself being dragged across the ground..." Sparx says with a timid voice "...but I couldn't move a muscle to stop it...I was completely drained from whatever I did."

_The young dragon can feel his body being towed by his left horn, pulled through the small entrance of his home. His eyes opening for short periods, seeing only the scorch marks upon the walls of the tunnel out, and several dead demons laying on the ground._

_Unable to move his head, Sparx cannot see who is pulling him. However, with the heavy breath upon his skull, and hearing the snarling sound of this creature's breathing so close to his ear... the young dragon is sure a demon has dug his fangs deep into his horn, and is pulling him out of the protection of his home._

_Yanked into the open area outside, the young dragon becomes frightened seeing several demons heading towards his position. He realizes now that his limp body was dragged outside only for them to feed upon him easier...just like his mother. _

_Sparx cries, knowing there is no one to come to his aid anymore._

_Suddenly, shock fills the young dragon's eyes, as he finally sees the one has pulled him out._

"It was Snow..." Sparx remarks with a smile, as he looks at his father. "...she was the one pulling me out, and stood her ground before them, to defend me"

_The white Shepard growls at the encroaching group of demons, and her eyes flash red with her rage. In a flash of white fury, Snow leaps at the group of evil creatures thrashing and swatting with her paws. _

_Sparx watches in a haze as this small white dog, he remembers as docile, rips apart several demons much larger than her, without breaking a sweat. She quickly strides back in fear to the young dragon, whom still is unable to move._

"_Are you OK Sparx...where is your mother?" Snow asks quickly, knowing another wave of demons is sure to be coming, especially after the noise that came from their friend's slaughter. _

_However, as Sparx begins to cry uncontrollably, the white Shepard becomes enraged...she needs no answer to her question. _

"_Get him out of here NOW!" Snow barks, as she looks over the young dragon to someone behind him, then turns her head to see the next group of evil creatures approaching...the ones she intends to take revenge upon for killing her friend, and trying to do the same to her baby. _

_Sparx watches as Snow stands firm before him, and a glow of white light begins to encompass her body. _

_Suddenly the young whelpling feels himself lifted off the ground, and secured in a pair of large paws. Sparx head is gently cradled up, and he can see the massive purple dragon that is holding him tightly._

"_I'm so sorry Sparx!" Malefor says, seeing the tears pour from the whelplng's eyes, then looks down at his close friend. The white Shepard returns the same angered gaze to the large dragon holding Cynder's orphaned child._

"_Make them Suffer, Snow!" He yelps, and quickly Malefor takes off into the sky. He holds Sparx' head gently against his chest, not allowing him to see the devastation he knows his friend will be laying out in mere moments._

_But the young whelpling does not need to see what happens...he can feel it. The air around him warms with the heat of an incredible blast, and his ears are filled with the thunderous sounds of Power, and Pain. _

_However, his eyes do finally catches a glimpse of the large explosion, as Malefor is jostled by the shock wave. _

_He can see the blast consume thousands of demons and his home along with it. A deep feeling of sorrow fills his heart, as the white flash fills the sky, knowing his mother is truly gone. The young dragon closes his tear-filled eyes and passes out from exhaustion & depression, in Malefor's arms._

"I suddenly woke in the same place I was born..." Sparx says as he slowly lays down on the ground, now feeling physically spent from this emotional roller-coaster. However, the young dragon also feels a bit of satisfaction at the same time. He can see his father is no longer angry, just intently listening to him, not showing the rage as before when even mentioning Malefor's name.

"...it was very confusing and scary at first...I thought I was just waking up from a long nightmare..." Sparx continues with a deep sigh. "...but I noticed things were different right away. There were broken shards of green crystal surrounding my body, and I felt energized in a way I never experienced. I also noticed that I was clean for the first time in months, and the wounds on my body were dressed..."

Sparx turns his head toward the portal flashing a few feet from the two dragons.

"...But what I noticed the most...is Mom was not there, laying her head atop of mine, keeping me warm and safe."

Spyro grasps his son's paw waiting for another emotional outburst, but it startled when Sparx begins to laugh.

"However, there was someone...laying across my side..." He says with a smile looking back at his father. "...trying desperately not to fall off when I moved."

Sparx laughs remembering a sleeping Snow, losing her balance, sliding across his stomach, and falling to the ground. She quickly hopped back to her feet with a smile and strolled up to his nose, brushing her soft coat against his muzzle. Then laid down in front of him and fell back to sleep.

The young dragon smiles, remembering the feel of her fur against his face at a moment when he was so depressed, and how it reminded him of his Mother's gentle touch.

"I felt safe with her..." The young dragon says with deep feeling "...and it was easy to fall asleep again, with her there."

Sparx tells his father of the one true reason he is the dragon he is today. A small Shepard-like dog that took the place of his Mother, and taught him everything she knew about her friend Cynder, making sure that Sparx would still be guided by HER ideals.

_For 5 years she helped him grow to be who he is, teaching him what she remembered from her friend Cynder, along with her own vast knowledge and experience. She stayed with the young dragon in the same place where he was hatched, not in the sleeping chamber of Malefor's den, where she normally slept. And though it was never her intention from the start, she quickly developed a strong bond with him as well._

_Just like Spyro and his brother...they were inseparable, and a very odd pair. _

_Snow would play with Sparx, even though his size was much greater, making sure he would still enjoy some type of childhood. However, she would also lay down the law, even though his size was much greater, showing a stern but loving hand with her discipline. _

_But unlike Cynder, Snow would allow the young dragon to spend time with Malefor...under her supervision! _

_Knowing she could not teach him anything about being a dragon, the wise canine knew some exceptions had to made. She kept his visits limited at first, but noticed quickly that Malefor himself was enforcing the same rules that Cynder believed, and would lax in her supervision as time went by. _

"I loved her Dad, and I started feeling bad...believing that I was betraying Mom's spirit, because she reminded me so much of her, that I couldn't help it." Sparx looks at his father...his smile becomes larger, and his eyes well up with tears. "But now that I've met my Father...I would say she was actually, more like you...NO...In fact, I would say she was exactly like you"

Sparx lowers his head and closes his eyes, the confident sound of voice, sends a chill into his father's spine, as he describes this beautiful creature that helped saved his soul.

"She was kind and gentle, but fierce and determined...and she could read me like a book..." the young dragon says, still with his eyes closed, picturing his adoptive mother in his head. "...Snow would know exactly when to leave me alone with my feelings, but also when it was not a good idea for me to be by myself."

Sparx smiles inside at the memories in his head, of the way she would ignore him when he got mad and would storm off...every time coming back and talking to her about his problem. But also, when she kept him from doing something stupid, because of his anger.

"It was her heart Dad...that is what YOU remind me most about her..." Sparx says quietly, turning his opening eyes back to his father. The young dragon takes a deep breath, and reaches his paw out to Spyro. He stops his open palm inches away from the gold chest of his father, and his smile fills his muzzle from cheek to cheek.

"...It was just as strong as yours...and I could feel its steady beat without even touching her."

Sparx places his paw against his father's chest, and closes his eyes again. He relaxes his tension feeling Spyro's pulse, then slowly opens his eyes to look up at his taller father.

"But there is one huge difference..." The young dragon remarks, sliding closer to his father. He wraps his arms around Spyro, and places his ear against his gold chest in a soft embrace. "...this is the pulse I hear when I close my eyes, and listen to my own heart."

Sparx turns his head up, looking straight at the strong jaw of his father, and Spyro lowers his muzzle to return his son's gaze.

"You are my Father...that I know for certain...and I will never again make you feel that I believe otherwise...I promise" The young dragon says with a deep feeling of guilt from his earlier words. Sparx lowers his head back down holding Spyro tighter, and can suddenly feel his body gently lifted off the ground.

Spyro stands on his hind legs, wrapping his forearms and wings around his son and himself. The purple hero is humbled, feeling the incredible amount of love and respect from a child he has only known for days, and believing his every word as if spoken by himself.

"I love you Sparx..." Spyro softly whispers into the winged-cocoon he has wrapped his son in. The young father kisses his boy on the head, then cradles his muzzle against the side of Sparx' cheek. "...and I'm sorry that I made you go through those painful memories like that. I should have just listened to MY SON from the beginning."

"No Dad...you did listen..." The young dragon replies, feeling so much security in his father's arms, that he holds nothing back. His voice is soft, but sure, as he continues. "...you sat there and listened, even when I saw the anger in your eyes. You didn't say a word...just like Snow...allowing me to see what a real FATHER could be..."

Sparx pauses, listening to the pounding beat of his Dad's heart.

"...and that is something I never got with Malefor."

Once again, a faint sound suddenly snaps the attention of the purple dragon to his right. And once again, Spyro can see nothing. He is confused knowing he heard something, but still his eyes deceive him.

However, Spyro does not stay focused in that direction for long. He can feel his son begin moving and turns his attention back to him quickly.

Sparx releases Spyro, gliding down from his tall father to the rocky surface. He takes a few steps away and turns back around with a somber expression upon his face.

"I'm sorry that I said he was like a father-figure before..." Sparx says, and lowers his head. "...because I didn't know what a father really was..."

Sparx looks back up at Spyro, and a large smile crosses his muzzle. "...but now I do...DAD!"

The purple dragon strides over to his boy, and lifts him up in his arms again. Spyro, like any new father, is not sure of what to say...feeling a pain deep inside his soul. However, his son's embrace fills his heart with an even greater pain.

"It's OK Sparx!" The young father says holding him tightly. "I am not angry at that...I was just upset at myself...knowing I was not there for you or Cynder."

Spyro begins to weep himself, feeling the deep regret of his actions, still 3 days fresh in his memory, causing the situation he is facing now. His breathing becomes very rapid, and so does his pulse.

Sparx can feel the change in his father's heart-beat, and knows something is not OK!

"What is wrong Dad?" His son, says somberly, feeling linked to his father now, and noticing his pain right away.

"It was my fault, Sparx..." Spyro says, uncontrollably crying, knowing he has lost 8 years of his son's life because of one big mistake.

"You said it yourself..." Spyro lowers his head down to cradle his muzzle against his son, and whispers into his ear. "...I sent her there!"

"NO!" Sparx angrily barks and grasps his father muzzle tightly in his paw. The young dragon spins around to face him, holding his snout straight in front of his own.

"You did not do that, Dad..." The young dragon's voice is filled with rage, and the pupils of his eyes begin fading away. "...The Dark Master did that, and NO ONE else."

Spyro shakes his muzzle free of his son's secure grip, not accepting what he is told.

"Your wrong, Sparx!" Spyro replies, closing his eyes, and taking a deep breath. "I did make a mistake!"

Sparx' pupils reappear, hearing the resonating tone of defeat in his dad's strong voice. The young dragon lowers to the ground on his feet, and looks up intently at his father.

"OK Dad, it's my turn to listen now." Sparx says softly with a great concern. "Please...Talk to me...Tell me why you feel this was your fault?"

Spyro lowers down to his stomach, and raises his head eye level with his standing son. Again Spyro draws a deep breath, feeling it difficult to talk about the one moment in his head, he regrets most.

"I brought him home to my pregnant wife..." The purple hero says with great pain. Spyro pauses, dropping his head, unable to look his son in the face as he continues. Tears pour from his eyes to the ground, as he continues to show the real reason for his pain. "...and the worst part about it is, that you and your mother were the ones forced to suffer the consequences...of MY mistake!"

Spyro keeps his head down low, and his eyes shut tight, not wanting to see the reaction of his son to his words. The purple dragon knows Sparx must feel anger towards him, for allowing his mother to be attacked while so vulnerable...God knows he does.

However, Spyro is shocked, as he feels his son under his neck. The purple dragon opens his eyes to see Sparx lifting his head with his shoulder, and wrapping his own arms and wings as far around him as possible.

"I love you Dad...you believe that, Right?" Sparx whispers sternly into his father's ear, surprising Spyro even further. The purple dragon shakes his head up and down quickly to answer his son's easy, but yet, puzzling question.

"Then believe me when I say...This is not your fault!" Sparx unwraps his wings from around Spyro's neck, and backs up a step to look his father with a stern gaze.

Spyro can see the resolve in his young son's eyes, as if looking at his own. However, the great hero of Avalar can still feel the sting of his mistake, and once again lowers his head in shame.

"But, I am the Purple Dragon..." Spyro says, almost with a bit of unbeatable arrogance. "...How could I have let this happen!"

"Because...Deception is what he is best at, Spyro..." A garbled voice bellows from the right, startling both father and son. "...I should know..."

Suddenly, as they look in the direction of this voice, the vague image of a large dragon begins to distort their view of the horizon. It is a mind-boggling sight to Spyro, but a familiar one to Sparx, as the landscape in the distance bends with the reflection of LIGHT.

A smile crosses Sparx' face, however, anger fills the eye's of his father, as they watch the massive purple and gold dragon appear before them.

Spyro can see the exact dragon he remembers from 5 years ago, twice his size and the extra set of horns that sprout from Malefor's cheeks, are the only differences between them...that and their feelings for each other.

Spyro rises to his feet in a defensive position, blocking his son.

"Malefor..." He barks with the anger and emotion still flowing through him. "...What do you want from me and my family...haven't you done enough?"

However, as the former Dark Master opens his eyes, Spyro calms quickly with surprise. He can see another similarity, one that was not there before. Like his son's, and his own as well, Spyro stares into the now solid purple eyes of Malefor. A dominant trait like the gold chest and wings, his eyes finally show the true heritage of his bloodline. But what shocks Spyro most, is the sight of remorse in these familiar eyes.

"It is good to see you well Spyro..." He remarks softly, and quickly Spyro is startled again at the voice of his old foe.

Now, without the distortion of his cloaking magic, Malefor's voice is much different. The massive dragon speaks in a clear stable tone, untainted by the evil reverberation Spyro remembers from his fight against him.

"...I am sorry for what has happened, but I only wish to talk!"

* * *

><p><strong>I know...a very soft chapter filled with love and feelings and crap<strong>

**so...I promise...****The next chapter will be a bit more...physcial.**


	15. Malefor's Sacrifice

**I know I promised physical, and you will get a nice taste at the end, but I didn't want too much fighting before Christmas, and after what happened in Newtown CT, my heart was not in the violent mood.**

**God Bless those families that lost so much, and I pray that somehow they find peace during this holiday season.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 15: Malefor's Sacrifice<p>

Gaven, sitting at his desk in the Portal Station, watches the energy level on his monitor shoot through the roof. He can not see what is going on, but Spyro's wrist communicator now lights up with the power that a third purple dragon has brought to this gathering.

"What is going on over there!" The Portal Master barks to himself, then stands up from his desk.

The Giant elf-like man walks over to the swirling disk of energy, still open in the middle of the room, expecting Spyro and Sparx to return any second, but they do not come back. In fact, he doesn't even see them in his view through the portal.

Gaven strolls up to the oval disk of energy, and stares into the 2 dimensional view it gives him of this evil-looking red planet. Unable to look to the side, where Spyro and Sparx are having their conversation, the Portal Master does not know why the power has jumped so high.

"I hope they're not fighting with each other." He says to himself, continuing to watch for any sign of the young whelping and his father.

* * *

><p>On the small planet, outside the Dragon Realms, stand three of the most powerful dragons ever to live.<p>

With his talons dug into the dark red stone under his feet, Spyro stares intently at Malefor. His posture, ready to strike at a moments notice, but his mind is still trying to understand this Dark Master's move.

The massive purple dragon is just lying on his stomach, with his paws crossed, unable to defend himself quickly. He is almost tempting Spyro to strike by showing his former enemy a weakness.

The protector of Avalar knows if he wanted to, he could strike Malefor's neck, cutting his jugular without effort, and that has him puzzled.

Seeing his enemy is not defensive, and hearing the WORD of his son, Spyro sits down on his hind quarters, but does not lower his guard. He can still pounce if necessary, and will not take his eyes off the large dragon.

"So...Talk!" Spyro says with anger.

Malefor takes a deep breath, and lowers his head. He can not help but feel humbled at Spyro's actual willingness to listen. He exhales his breath, unable to speak what he has rehearsed for many years, and looks back up at a younger version of himself.

"I have gone over this conversation in my mind a thousand time, and have thought of so many things I wanted to say to you..." The powerful dragon says somberly, and lowers his head again. "...but now, I find myself clueless of what to say...and I feel nauseous just being in your presence."

Spyro once again is shocked by the resonating sound of guilt in his voice, and Sparx can feel the change in his father's heart beat. It has slowed from a rapid pace, to a calmer more steady pulse, almost a normal rhythm .

The young dragon slowly walks from behind his father to his side, and turns his head up to look at him.

Spyro can feel his son's eyes burning into the side of his head, but he still doesn't look away from Malefor.

"However, There was always one thing that I was certain I had to say..." The large purple dragon says to the face of his former adversary, and Spyro can see tears forming in his eyes.

"...I am sorry for shaming the purple dragon in such way, with my Failure..." Malefor remarks, then turns his head away. "I was ignorant with my power, and never thought there could be such an Evil...but I couldn't be more wrong...and everyone on Avalar paid for MY mistake."

Malefor pauses to control his tears, but it takes several moments recalling so many terrible memories.

"There is no forgiveness for what I have done to our world..." The large purple dragon says, and turns his blood-shot eyes to Spyro. "...and I am amazed that you would even be seen in my presence."

Spyro is beside himself, hearing these words.

"_Who is this dragon?"_ He thinks to himself, seeing the raw emotion coming from his former merciless foe. _"This can not be Malefor!"_

Spyro finally blinks his eyes, and looks down at his son is amazement.

"Give him a chance Dad..." Sparx says with a quiet but steady voice "...He is not The Dark Master...he is just a purple dragon like you, "

The two-toned son of Spyro & Cynder places his paw against his father's arm.

"But most of all...he's my friend."

Spyro relaxes his posture, feeling calmed by his son's touch, but mostly his confident words. The young father grasps his son by the neck and gently pulls him under his up-rite body. Spyro forces Sparx down to his belly by laying himself atop of his son, then lowers his muzzle between his horns.

"I don't know Sparx..." Spyro softly whispers, looking up with his eyes at the sobbing dragon before him "...he has brought such shame to the dragon race...I just don't know if I can ever trust him!"

"Trust takes time Dad...I know that..." Spark remarks as he turns his head up and to the right, forcing Spyro to move his muzzle and look back down at his son. "...but you must give him that time...or you will never know the dragon he is, and that would be the real shame."

Spyro stares into his son's confident eyes, and can not believe the wisdom from such a young dragon. The proud father feels a slight twinge in his heart, and once again looks at the massive purple dragon before he and his son.

"Forgiveness is not given, Malefor..." Spyro says to get his attention, and Malefor turns his tear-filled eyes to his counter-part.

"...only YOU, can redeem yourself..." He continues, staring deep into the large dragon's purple eyes. "...but redemption, like trust is earned, and it will be almost impossible for you to gain anyone's trust after what you have done!"

Malefor looks down at the ground and nods his head in understanding, and Spyro returns his eyes back down to his son.

A smile is across the young dragon's face, hearing his father talking to Malefor calmly. But what his father says next, puts a larger smile on Sparx' muzzle.

"However, you have earned my son's trust..." Spyro remarks, rubbing the top of Sparx' head with his paw. "...and I don't believe this dragon to be foolish."

Spyro stands up on four feet, straddling his still lying son, then walks over to Malefor. He places his paw upon his enemy's muscular forearm and cranes his head next to the taller dragon's ear.

"He is not like that for any reason..." Spyro whispers. "...Someone taught that boy how to be a man..."

Spyro snaps his eyes back to Malefor's and slowly backs away. He looks over at his son with a simple smile "...and I'm sure that was not because of my wife and some small Dog."

The former Dark Master, once again lowers his head in ashamed disbelief. He can not believe Spyro is being this receptive, and now is giving him praise for Sparx' behavior.

"Because of this...and helping Cynder..." Spyro says to his foe with a heavy heart. "...You have earned my ears...for the moment..."

Suddenly, Spyro reaches his paw over to Malefor's jaw, yanking him muzzle to muzzle.

"...and that is more of a chance then you deserve!" Spyro barks with anger, as his pupils fade to white.

The purple dragon keeps his legs crossed, before the posturing Spyro, to prove he is not going to attack, and gives a snort of laughter from his nostrils, unable to open his mouth. The large dragon takes some effort to free his muzzle and continues his laughter.

"Now there is the Spyro I remember..." Malefor says with sarcasm, then his eyes fade to white themselves.

"...Always with your guard up...never sure of the choices you make..." Malefor smiles as Spyro becomes more aggressive, knowing his every thought "...you remind me so much of myself, Spyro...that it's scary."

The large dragon's eyes return to their normal color, and once again Malefor begins to laugh.

Spyro does not laugh, nor does he back down. He steps closer to Malefor, and Sparx becomes nervous.

"Dad!" Sparx sheepishly yelps, trying to get his father's attention, but Spyro is irate.

"I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!" He screams in Malefor's face. "I DIDN'T Destroy my home, or enslave the world I live upon!"

Malefor's smile leaves his face with this remark, and once again a deep breath of regret is bellowed from his large muzzle.

"You would have..." He says with anger, standing up on his feet and looking down at Spyro. "...if your friends weren't there to intervene!"

Spyro is smacked in the face with Malefor's words, and slowly his eyes reappear in the whites of his irises. The purple dragon sits upon his hind quarters, fumbling with the thought in his head of the Dark Master's brutal attack in his home, and how he almost lost himself.

"You think I wanted that to happen..." Malefor continues with more anger in his voice, looking up at the stars in the sky, staring at the binary system of Avalar. "...To have my life taken from me...while still living...then forced against my will to kill my kin."

Malefor closes his eyes with painful memories, and lowers his head back to the ground. Spyro watches as tears pour from the muzzle of this massive dragon, and he can not help but begin feeling Malefor's pain.

"...I was unable to stop it, Spyro.." Malefor says as he turns his eyes back to the younger purple dragon. "...I had no control of it."

Spyro can hear the resonating tone of sincerity in Malefor's voice, and starts to understand his feelings as the large dragon begins to cry once more.

"I watched with my own eyes, as he used my body to destroy my world and kill my friends..." The large dragon says with tears flowing, then takes a deep breath, and again looks down.

The younger purple dragon can see the pure pain fill Malefor's features, and hears the depth of depression that his voice sinks to. "...including a very beautiful wind dragoness...named Aerial."

A chill shoots through Spyro's back, as he knows immediately who this wind dragoness must have been, and an unimaginable pain strikes his heart.

"_What if my actions had killed Cynder..."_ Spyro thinks to himself, knowing he very well came close to doing exactly that.

"...I couldn't image that pain!" Spyro says, continuing his thought out loud.

Malefor, turns his head to see the thousand yard stare on Spyro's face, recalling the moment he himself almost killed Cynder.

Suddenly his eye refocus, and once again Spyro turns his attention to Malefor.

"I'm so sorry..." Spyro remarks, and Malefor is taken by complete surprise. Spyro walks beside him, and places his paw against the large dragon's flank. "...I didn't know you had a wife before hand...that thought had never occurred to me."

Malefor snort's and angry breath from his nose, and looks down at the rocky surface beneath him.

"No one knows the truth, because the entire history of our civilization was lost when I destroyed the city..." He retorts with hatred in his voice. Malefor stands up on his hind legs, as the rage in his heart begins to consume him. "...AND KILLED EVERYONE I LOVED."

The vibrant purple scales of his body begin to darken, and Malefor howls into the air with pure anger.

Spyro backs away concerned, as the ground beneath his paws shakes violently, and quickly trots over to his son.

"I think we need to go Sparx!" The young father yelps, as he starts pushing his son back toward the portal. However, Sparx is not willing to move.

"Wait, Dad..." The young dragon says, holding back his father's charge. "...let me talk to him!"

Spyro immediately stops shoving his son toward the portal, not like he was making any progress, and looks into his steady eyes

"Dad..." He says with a timid voice, still watching Malefor's power increase further. "...he is not evil...he is just upset, like you would be if something happened to Mom!"

Spyro looks down at his son, and Sparx can see a twinge of pain in his eyes. He rears up onto his hind paws to get muzzle to muzzle with his father, then places his right paw upon Spyro's cheek.

"Please Dad..." Sparx says calmly. "...let me help him...let me show you, you are wrong about him!"

"Are you sure, Sparx..." Spyro says with an uneasy voice, that his son notices right away.

"I am sure, Dad..." The two-toned dragon says with a smile and moves his paw from Spyro's cheek to his chest.

"...as much as I am sure of this."

Spyro feels the gentle but firm paw of his son over his heart, and slowly closes his eyes. A deep feeling of love fills the young father, but at the same time a feeling of pain.

"You do care deeply about him, don't you..." Spyro says somberly "...much more then you want, or are willing to tell me."

Sparx can hear the disappointment in his father's voice, and looks back up at Spyro.

"Yes, Dad..." Sparx replies with no hesitation. "...and to tell you the full truth...I think of him as a father."

Spyro's brow drops across the top of his eye line, but Sparx feels a weight lifted from his shoulders. He is keeping no more secrets from Spyro .

The young dragon removes his paw from Spyro's gold chest, and drops down on four paws. Sparx turns around to face his father, and sits down on his hind quarters.

"What was I supposed to do Dad?..." The young dragon now asks with a slight attitude, and Spyro is startled. He keeps his brow down in anger, but hears the resonating sound of frustration in his son, and can not help but understand his point as he continues. "...I lost Mom, I lost my home, and it was certain that I would lose my life soon there after."

Sparx looks down at the ground feeling the pain of rushing through his memories again, then looks back up at his father with glistening eyes.

"Please understand, I didn't want to..." He says as his tears pour from his muzzle "...but because of the dragon he is...I couldn't help it."

Sparx now overcome with emotion runs and jumps back into Spyro's arms, and hugs him tightly.

"I love him Dad...as much as I love you..." He says with fear, feeling the pain in his father to hear such a thing spoken. "...and it hurts to see him suffer like this, as much as it hurt to watch you wait for Mom to wake up"

Sparx can feel his father's tension loosen again, and his arm squeezes his small body tighter against his chest. The young dragon is happy, believing his father is calming down from hearing his son's true feelings, however, Sparx is also upset with himself, knowing he just broke a promise he made only minutes ago.

"I'm sorry Dad..." His muffled voice remarks, smothered against Spyro's chest. The purple dragon loosens his grip, and Sparx moves his head to look up at his father. "...I said that I would never make you feel like this again, and once more I lied to you..."

Sparx pushes himself from his father and walks a few steps towards Malefor, still raging with emotions in the background.

"It's like the more I am honest with you...the more I feel that I am betraying my Father." Sparx turns back to Spyro with a look of complete despair.

"It was the same thing with Snow..." Sparx says as he moves back towards his father. "...how can I love someone as much as my Mom...but I did...because she was an incredible mother!"

Sparx grabs his father's paw and places his own paw in Spyro's palm.

"I am your son, and I will always be your son..." Sparx says staring into his Dad's teary eyes "...and I need my Father to know that, because I will want HIS guidance from this point in my life..."

Sparx turns his head back towards Malefor, still holding Spyro's paw. "...But he was also my father for a time, and though he is not now...I still love him and can not turn my back on him..."

Once again the young dragon turns back to his dad and burns a desperate stare into Spyro's eyes

"...But I need MY FATHER'S help!"

Spyro takes a deep breath letting his emotions settle, still in a state of shock. He is nauseous from the feelings in his heart. However, the young hero can also feel the pain and love from his child, showing him that he's in as much inner turmoil as himself.

"I don't know, Sparx...what help can I possibly be to him?" Spyro asks with a heavy voice, and Sparx looks up with a smile. He can see now that the incredible dragon his mother told him so much about as a baby, was true in every regard.

He has told his father this horrible truth, the one thing he has had nightmares about since having any feeling toward Malefor, and Spyro is still willing to help.

Sparx looks up at his father with a new-found confidence.

"I don't know Dad...I don't know..." He says with a slight smirk.

The young dragon releases his father's paw, and once again stands beside him, looking in the direction of Malefor. "...but you'll never know standing over here, will ya!"

Spyro looks down at his son, and Sparx up at him. His smile is contagious and quickly spreads to his father's muzzle as well, making the young dragon feel even more secure in telling the truth.

"You are truly wise, my son..." Spyro says with great pride. He spreads his large wings out brushing his son across the face softly

"...come on...let me see if I can find this dragon my son thinks he is"

The sarcasm in his father's voice, and the jovial spirit that Spyro is showing again, relieves Sparx to the bone. The smile on his muzzle is now ear to ear, and he leaps up under his Dad's chin.

Sparx opens his wings against Spyro's jaw just as softly, then hovers in front of his face.

"And you are every bit the dragon my Mother told me about, Dad..." Sparx says with a greater pride in his voice. "...I always believed she was just exaggerating to make me feel better, but that couldn't be further from the truth."

Sparx turns around and with a quick flap of his wings, takes off towards the dark dragon a hundred feet away from them.

Spyro sits for a second, feeling much better himself. He can see the undying devotion from his son, and knows that Cynder is the reason.

The love he feels for his wife overwhelms him. He had been sure that Cynder blamed him for what happened, but now hearing his son tell him how highly she spoke of him...Spyro begins to relax as well.

With a new-found confidence himself, the purple dragon takes off after his son. In seconds, both dragons are standing before the agitated Malefor.

The large black dragon is still staring into the sky, consumed with the thoughts of how he betrayed his world.

Malefor was sure Spyro left with his son, and is startled as he lowers his head to see both father and child standing before him

His pupil-less eyes focus on Sparx, whose infectious grin is still planted on his face. The large dragon feels the soothing emotion of his smile, and begins to breathe easier. Quickly his anger is brought back under control, and his pupils and scales return to their normal purple color.

He then turns those eyes towards Spyro, and is astonished to see his nonchalant posture. Malefor is even more surprised as his counter-part sits down on his hind legs then lays his front paws out, resting his gold stomach on the ground.

"I'm sorry for my outburst..." Malefor says with embarrassment. "...I'm surprised you didn't take your son and leave."

"I was going to..." Spyro replies, then turns his head towards the young dragon, and can see the smile still on his face. "...but Sparx said his friend needed help...and I couldn't say no to that face."

Malefor finally shows a slight smirk, and walks up to the young smiling dragon. He lowers his large frame to the ground and gently covers Sparx' head with his right front paw.

"It's impossible Spyro..." Malefor retorts, and looks at the younger purple dragon. "...believe me...I never could either!"

A striking pain shoots through Spyro's heart, hearing Malefor speak of his son as his own, however the purple dragon quickly sees the spirit of his son drop to the ground, and his smile disappears.

"Stop Malefor..." Sparx says with sadness in his voice, seeing Spyro's reaction. He brushes the large paw from his head, and looks up at his former guardian. "...please don't do that in front of My Father!"

Malefor is startled, and turns to Spyro with a deep look of regret, but before he can apologize.

"It's OK Sparx..." Spyro says with his paw up, gesturing him to calm down. The young father is hurt, but sees his son is not going to break his promise again, and Spyro realizes a bond of nearly 8 years would be impossible to just end.

"...I understand his feelings, and to tell you the truth..." Spyro remarks as he gets to his feet. The young father walks over to his son, and places his paw upon Sparx' lowered head. "...I'm really not that upset anymore."

The young dragon looks up surprised to see a large smile on his father's face, and slowly his returns as well.

Spyro rubs the top of his son's head vigorously, then looks at Malefor, and gives him a quick nod of his muzzle still with a wide smile.

The large purple dragon is shocked at Spyro's attitude, and more so by his former adversary's next words.

"Thank You Malefor..." Spyro remarks, and the former Dark Master is nearly floored by what he hears.

"For What?" He quickly retorts, completely startled.

Spyro removes his paw from his son's head, and lowers it under Sparx' stomach. The purple dragon raises his boy up in the air with one arm and places him on his back between his gold and red wings.

"You protected my wife & my son when I could not be there for them..." He says with a deep feeling of gratitude, then cranes his head to look back at Sparx, standing proudly upon his father's shoulders. "...I don't know how I can repay you for this."

Spyro lays down upon his stomach, and Malefor circles around himself, finding a flat spot to rest. Both dragons stare at each other in a different light.

Spyro can see this is not the Dark Master anymore, but a powerful dragon that is looking to make up for thousands of years of hatred and evil...a task that will not be easy in any way. However, judging by the few moments he has seen Malefor's emotion, and also because of the attitude of the dragon upon his back, Spyro can see this dragon deserves a second chance.

Malefor, on the other hand, is still in a state of shock.

"_How can this dragon be so willing to listen..."_ He thinks to himself. _"...I can't believe that he is not trying to kill me!" _

But as Spyro gets more comfortable, the former Dark Master can see the sincerity in his eyes, and begins to completely relax himself.

"The least I can do is hear whatever it was you wanted to talk about..." Spyro remarks with calmness in his voice. "But please...If you don't mind...I want to know more about YOU first. I feel that I don't know this dragon lying before me...I only knew the hateful one who would never show any emotion but anger."

Malefor takes a deep breath, and a smile forms on his face, as he watches Sparx climb his father's neck. The young dragon positions his muzzle on Spyro's head between his good left horn and the broken right one, and quickly Malefor flashes back to a painful memory of his past...one that set things in motion.

"He did that to me as well..." The large dragon remarks, as he rubs his head around the left horn. "...that was the day I found myself outmatched, and would become the darkest day of Avalar!"

Malefor stares into the sky, then back to the 4 attentive eyes of Spyro & Sparx. His chest expands with a large breath, and the former Hero of Avalar tells his captive audience the day he lost so much.

For over an hour, Malefor describes the brutal battle that leveled the original city of Warfang, making the Burned Lands what they are today. His fight with the Dark Master was epic, and for a time, seemed unending.

"However, I couldn't keep that pace up..." Malefor says with a heavy heart. "...and with one quick strike...it was over."

Malefor once again grabs his head with his paw, feeling the phantom pain that knocked him out of the fight, then remembers waking up not as himself.

His emotions fall back to the ground, recalling his next moment as the worst moment of his life, when his wife stood before him to plead for him to stop.

"I killed her with my own paws!" Malefor cries with a broken voice, then becomes very silent.

Both Spyro and Sparx remain silent as well, allowing the large dragon to release his emotion.

With tears in his eyes, the new Hero of Avalar has the answers he was looking for. He has made up his own mind about this dragon, hearing the passion and pain in his voice.

"Sparx..." Spyro yelps, and his son pops his head up from his own. "...go back to the Portal Station, I want talk to Malefor alone."

The young dragon hops down from his father's back, and looks up at his face with concern.

"Are you sure I have to go?" The young dragon remarks with depression, and Spyro just nods his head yes.

"Can I say goodbye to him at least..." Sparx remarks looking at Malefor. "...I didn't get a chance to the last time."

"Of course" Spyro replies, and without hesitation, the young dragon leaps into Malefor's chest.

Sparx wraps his arms and legs as far around the large dragon's neck as he can, then raises his head to speak into his former father's ear.

"She forgives you Malefor...I know it..." The young dragon says confidently, then nestles his muzzle under Malefor's jaw. "because my Mother forgave you...and you did so much for me and my family, that I'm sure Aerial is not upset with you anymore!"

Regardless of Spyro standing in front of him, and feeling he is overstepping his bounds, Malefor lowers his jaw and raises his right front paw. He embraces Spyro's child as his own, and whispers..

"I hope you right young dragon..." with a deep sadness in his voice. "...I will be finding out soon I'm sure!"

Sparx breaks his embrace and looks at Malefor with puzzlement after hearing his last statement.

"What does that mean?" the young dragon barks, but Malefor does not answer.

"Please, go my friend..." The large dragon says as he lowers Sparx back to the ground. "...I do not have much time, and I must speak with you Father before it is too late."

"But Malefor..."

"I SAID GO!" The large dragon hollers, and Sparx jumps in fear, so does Spyro a little.

The young dragon lowers his head, then starts dragging his feet to the portal, but after only a few paces Sparx stops once more.

Malefor turns his anger up further and is ready to shout once more, however the young dragon is first to open his mouth.

"I will miss you...Dad!" He says somberly, and turns back to the portal. "...and I would have been proud to call you that."

The large purple dragon is struck as hard as any punch he has ever felt. That is the first time Sparx had ever said that to him, and quickly he feels the emotions that Spyro must feel every time he calls him DAD.

Both purple dragons watch as Sparx leaves the planet, through the large oval disk of energy, a few hundred yards to their right.

"That is the first time he ever called me that...and meant it!" Malefor says choking back his tears.

Spyro lowers his head with mixed emotions, but smiles and looks back at the large dragon, whom is still staring at the portal his one-time adopted son just left through.

"It's an amazing feeling..." Spyro says with a joy-filled tone in his voice that makes Malefor turn his head towards him. Spyro has a slight grin on his muzzle and his eyes are sympathetic

"...it goes right through your heart!"

Both dragons return their gaze to the portal, and take a moment to compose themselves.

"So..." Spyro remarks to break the uncomfortable silence "...What did you mean by seeing her soon...I thought you are immortal."

Malefor snorts a quick chuckle from his nose, and looks back to Spyro.

"I am immortal...but that doesn't mean I can not die." Malefor gets back to his feet and walks towards a range of mountains hundreds of miles in the distance. "I'm hoping the destruction of this planet should be enough to do the deed!"

"Hoping!" Spyro retorts, standing on his feet with shock. "Why are you hoping to die by destroying this planet."

Once again Malefor give a chuckle of laughter, and turns back around to his counter part.

"I have lived long enough, Spyro..." He replies, and his smile becomes larger. "...and I won't be the one destroying this planet...You Will!"

"ME!" Spyro yelps. "I can't destroy an entire planet!

Malefor's laughter becomes stronger, and he strides back to the younger purple dragon. He grasps Spyro's shoulder tightly and looks him dead in the eye.

"Not you yourself, Idiot..." Malefor says with a smirk. "...have that crotchety old Portal Master use some of his fire power to do it, but regardless of how it's done...this planet needs to disappear."

"Why the whole planet?" Spyro asks with concern. "What is so special about this planet that the entire thing needs to be destroyed?"

The young dragon brushes Malefor's paw from his shoulder, and stares into his eyes, waiting for an answer.

"This is not a real planet Spyro..." Malefor says with a smugness in his voice, knowing the Dark Master's inner most secrets. "...this is a base of sorts...a launching point for his assault on the Dragon Realms."

Malefor smiles with the knowledge that the destruction of this planet would bring.

"His grip on this galaxy would disappear in an instant, with the simple removal of this Evil Rock he created..." Malefor pauses and lowers his head. His voice becomes very soft and somber as he continues. "...only then...can I feel that I've redeemed myself to the Dragon Worlds."

Suddenly, Malefor snaps his head back up toward the mountain range in the distance. His ears and eyes focused on one spot, a black mass clearing the horizon between them and the distant mountains.

"Oh no..." Malefor remarks, then looks back at Spyro. "...we are running out of time."

Spyro turns his head to the left, and doesn't quite understand, until some movement jolts his attention.

"By the Ancestors!" He says with fear, noticing the entire horizon is vibrating with activity. "What the hell is that?"

Malefor walks toward the approaching mass, and Spyro curiously follows along.

"They are the remainder of a civilization that was destroyed long ago, and enslaved by The Dark Master..." Malefor turns his head towards the young dragon to his left. "...and that is what would have happened to the dragons, if you didn't stop me."

Spyro snaps his head up, giving Malefor his full attention

"An entire race was taken, giving the Dark Master a very powerful ally that can overwhelm anything they encounter." He remarks looking back at the mass that grows with every second that passes.

"They are mind-less creatures...and normally swarm in packs of thousands..." He says, then looks back to Spyro from the swarm of millions approaching. "...but this Army has a different purpose, and that is to destroy the Dragon Realms if he can not control them for himself."

"What!" Spyro retorts, looking back at the mob still growing as they clear the rise in the distance. "Avalar is still recovering...we wouldn't stand a chance against an attack of this magnitude."

Spyro lowers his head thinking of this hell unleashed upon his home.

"They would slaughter everything that can not fly..." Spyro says with pain in his voice. "...forcing the dragons to take to the air...one by one falling victim to the swarm as they become tired and fall from the sky."

A sudden chill shoots down Spyro's back visualizing these images and realizes Malefor might be right...this planet needs to disappear.

Spyro looks at the horde approaching in the distance, still getting larger and larger. He takes several deep breaths knowing the decision to destroy an entire planet, even this evil rock, is a very big deal.

"I figure we have 10 minutes, Spyro..." Malefor says to break the silence. "...please, try to make up your mind quickly..."

Spyro looks back at the large purple dragon to see a wide smile on his face.

"...I would prefer if this place was gone in say...9 minutes. I don't really feel like fighting anymore!"

Spyro gives a slight chuckle at Malefor, and looks back at the mob of demons.

"I agree with you..." He says with a nod of his head. "...I think this planet should be considered for destruction, however there is a flaw to your plan..."

Malefor's smile disappears as he sees the smug grin of his young counter-part.

"What Flaw!" He barks.

Spyro pauses and his smile grows a bit wider.

"You don't need to be here!"

The words take a second to sink in, but when they do Malefor does a double take, and becomes confused.

"Where do you suggest I go then, Spyro? The large dragon asks with an attitude.

The Hero of Avalar looks down for a second, shocked at what he is about to say, but knows deep in his heart, it is the right thing to do.

"Well first, you should follow me through that portal over there..." He says calmly, and again Malefor is floored. "...but where you go from there will depend upon yourself."

"NO!" Malefor replies without hesitation. "I can not go back...this is where I need to stay."

Spyro grasps the right horn of the dragon before him, pulling his taller head down to eye level. His voice becomes stern and angered "You can not redeem yourself...by killing yourself!"

Spyro releases Malefor's horn and lowers his head.

"My son would never forgive you for doing something so selfish..." He looks back up into the large dragon's eyes. "...nor would he forgive me if I left you behind, and destroyed this planet..."

Spyro eyes fill with pain from the hardest thing he is about to say

"...How could I look my son in the eye...if I killed his Father!"

"But I am not his Father..." Malefor retorts. "...you are!"

"NO!" Spyro says and once again lowers his head. "You are more his father then I am...at this moment...and I am not taking that away from him."

Spyro looks back at the disk of swirling energy, and can see his son standing before it in the Main Room, looking in. A smile fills Spyro's face, watching Sparx' curiosity, and knows in his heart, this is right.

"I can't Spyro..." Malefor remarks with a heavy heart. "...I would not know where to even begin..."

The large dragon trails off in the thought of how to fix what he has done, if even possible.

However, a different thought strikes Spyro, and he becomes very angry.

"No Malefor...you will not die here..." Spyro says with a more stern voice, and his teeth showing. "...I won't let you off that easy!"

Spyro snaps his head back to Malefor and strides up to him chest to chest.

"Cynder didn't just kill herself..." He snarls in the former Dark Master's face. "...She begged for forgiveness from everyone on Avalar, and some were not very accepting."

Spyro turns his head away with the real anger he feels towards him, again raging to the surface.

"I was forced to watch her speak with every family that her reign had touched..." He says and takes a deep breath. "...and I was not allowed to stop them if they attacked her!"

Spyro turns his eyes back to Malefor, showing his deep regrets of certain instances.

"There was several times I had no choice but to step in, or else she would have been killed..." Spyro remarks with sadness "...but every time she was angry with me for doing so."

Suddenly the young dragon's eyes refocus with anger, and he stares through the former Dark Master

"You will beg for your forgiveness, Malefor...just like you made my wife!" Spyro barks and gets muzzle to muzzle. "I will watch you humble yourself before all that you hurt, and I will not be so willing to step in...unless YOU get out of hand!"

Both dragons stare at each other, feeling the breath of one another on their faces.

Malefor's eyes squint with the heat Spyro is blasting from his lungs

"You know I could Kill you quite easily Spyro!" The large dragon exclaims with sarcasm, and the young purple hero gives a chuckle through his anger.

"Then do it..." Spyro replies with arrogance in his voice "...but after Gaven destroys this planet, and you die with me, no one will be there for Sparx!"

Malefor sits down on his hindquarters and leans back with a deep feeling of helplessness. He, obviously, is not going to kill Spyro, but he damn sure does not want to go back and face the world he ruined. His eyes close with the pain of knowing his only choice is the hardest.

"You would really be there by my side?" Malefor asks somberly, and turns his humbled eyes to Spyro.

The young dragon smiles for a brief second, knowing Malefor has agreed, but his grin changes back to a stern look of anger.

"I will not be there to support you, Malefor!" Spyro replies

"However..." the young dragon remarks with a smile, then grasps Malefor's shoulder with his right paw. "...I won't let them Kill you either!"

"Well that's comforting!" The large dragon says while rolling his eyes.

Spyro beings to laugh and opens his wings. He hovers a few feet off the ground, eye to eye with the taller dragon.

"And every once in a while, if you feel someone hit you from behind..." Spyro says with a wide smile, his voice filled with sarcasm. "...don't worry...it's just ME!"

"You know something Spyro..." Malefor retorts with the same sarcastic voice "...I don't need to kill you..."

Malefor stands up on his hind legs, and opens his wings as wide as they can, showing his incredible size in regard to Spyro.

"...I could just beat you senseless, and toss your limp body back into that portal..." He replies, and thrusts his wings down to gain flight. He looks back at Spyro, who's jaw is open wide, realizing there is no flaw in that plan.

"...So if I were you...I would just shut up for the remainder of the time we are here!"

Malefor begins to fly towards the portal, and Spyro quickly chases him, gliding alongside the other purple dragon.

"You are actually willing to do this?" Spyro asks with puzzlement, knowing the purple dragon could just fly off as well.

Malefor stops in mid-flight, and Spyro hovers with him.

"No!" He says with a heavy feeling of guilt. "I do not want to go back, Spyro... but I have to..."

His eyes focus up from the ground to the dragon bobbing in the air beside him.

"...if you are man enough to give me a second chance..." He says with an inner hatred at his own cowardice. "...then who the hell am I, not to take it. Regardless of what happens...I will try!"

The smile on Spyro's face increases in size and he positions himself face to face with Malefor.

"I will be there to support you..." He says with his paw against the large dragon's neck. "...and I promise to make sure you are given a fair judgment."

From inside the Main Room of the Portal Station, Sparx is watching with great concern. After seeing Malefor stand and spread his wing, and unable to hear the conversation, the young dragon believes his two fathers are fighting with each other. However, when Malefor embraces Spyro in mid-air, and then he sees them BOTH heading towards him, the young dragon's heart fills with excitement.

"What is it Sparx?" Gaven remarks from beside his desk, seeing the whelpling's tail wagging with exuberance. "Can you see your Father?"

"Yup!" The young dragon remarks to the Portal Master, whom starts walking towards Sparx, to get a look himself.

However, when Gaven's eyes behold the TWO dragons, he quickly becomes surprised.

"WHAT THE F..."

From the other side of the rift in space, Spyro and Malefor see the Portal Master's reaction, and can also read his lips.

"I don't think he's very happy to see me Spyro!" The large dragon barks with a bit of laughter, and his new friend nods his head in agreement.

The two purple dragons land just in front of the portal, readying themselves to step through. Spyro watches Malefor's reaction to the Portal Master's continued tantrum. Unable to hear, the large dragon can still tell Gaven is irate on the other side.

"Relax Malefor..." Spyro says seeing the former Dark Master step timidly towards the portal. "...I think he's screaming at me right now."

The Skylander General strides beside Malefor and places his paw upon the large dragon's flank.

"Don't worry..." Spyro quips. "...I can handle Gaven!"

Both dragons quickly notice the Portal Master stop his tantrum, and his eyes focus squarely on his General.

"OH YOU CAN HANDLE ME NOW!" Spyro sees his lips say, and his shoulders drop like Malefor's.

The young purple dragon looks over to his larger counter-part, and smiles.

"Oops..." Spyro says with an embarrassed look on his face, then gestures his right paw towards the angry Portal Master.

"...You go first Malefor!"

As Malefor takes his first step towards the portal, the large dragon's tail swings across the back of Spyro's head. He glances it lightly off the left side of his skull, making sure to avoid the side with the broken horn. The impact is not hard and sends a quick message.

However, as the former Dark Master takes step number two, the portal before him begins to flicker. Both dragons are startled as the swirl of energy then disappears in the next instant.

"What the hell happened!" Spyro barks with shock, and a twinge of fear.

"I guess Gaven doesn't want me back." Malefor replies quickly with a bit of sarcasm, however Spyro is fast to shot down that idea.

"He was standing in front of us..." the purple dragon retorts. "...the portal can't be shut down unless he's at his desk."

The General taps the buttons on his wrist communicator, and nothing happens. He looks over to Malefor with a deep concern.

"I'm not getting anything from the Portal Station...someone or something is jamming the signal!"

Spyro and Malefor turn around and look at the horde of dog-like demons that fill nearly the entire landscape now as they get closer.

"Then we have a serious problem Spyro!" Malefor exclaims

"They are the least of you problems Malefor..." Replies a voice behind both dragons, and Spyro & Malefor's eyes open wide with the familiar reverberating sound...of the Dark Master.

"...I left you there to die..." The voice continues, and both dragons spin around and stand up on their hind legs ready to strike.

However, no one is behind them.

"...but you decided to come back..." The Dark Master's voice rambles on, and Malefor knows immediately how much trouble they are in. "...so I plan on handling you...Myself!"

Suddenly, Spyro is startled as he watches Malefor's body concave with a tremendous impact. He hears the noise, but can not see what has caused the large dragon to double over in pain.

Then, like he was struck across the left side of his muzzle, Malefor's head snaps to the right, but once again Spyro is unable to see what is causing it.

The purple dragon takes a quick step forward, and is met stiffly by a painful strike across his right cheek. The unsuspecting dragon is slammed to the ground by the impact to his jaw, and again has no clue of what happened.

Spyro spins around cautiously grasping his muzzle in pain, and staring at blank space.

"_What magic is this?"_ He thinks to himself. _ "How can I fight what I can't see!"_

The purple dragon is spooked as Malefor is, once more, slammed to the ground by a punch from nothing.

However, even getting his ass kicked, the large purple dragon is not spooked, and quickly gets to his feet after the impact to his body.

"He's bending Light Spyro..." Malefor barks in pain "...Light up the sky yourself!"

Spyro pauses only for an instant, but quickly realizes what his old foe means. His sore muzzle opens wide, filling the area in front of Malefor with a raging inferno.

His eyes see an image inside the flames, as does Malefor's, whom ignites his fire breath in that same direction.

Suddenly the form inside the inferno becomes clearly visible, and Spyro & Malefor stop their attack, seeing that it has become pointless.

"How could you Malefor..." The now solid rock form of the Dark Master remarks with sarcasm. "...attack your master like that!"

"You are a master of nothing..." The large dragon snarls with hatred in his voice "...so just try that again, now that I'm ready for you, and I will show you who the master is."

"Oh really!" The rock giant retorts with a smile. "Let's find out!"

Malefor's eyes open wide with shock as the Dark Master turns his body from stone to a pulsing form of pure electric energy, then heads for Spyro.

Within the blink of an eye, the evil master strikes the gold chest of the purple dragon as a bolt of lighting, consuming his entire body in a net of electricity. Spyro screams in pain from the pulsing energy through his body.

His muscles constrict with the surge of electricity, forcing Spyro's body to begin curling up until he falls to the ground in the fetal position.

Malefor takes a step forward to help, but quickly stops as the Dark Master forces more power into Spyro's shuttering body.

"If you want me to kill him right now, Malefor...by all means come closer..." The Dark Master remarks as his body reforms in a swirl of pure electricity...his hand remaining on Spyro's back to keep the charge flowing. "...I simply don't want this weakling to interfere with our unfinished business."

The Dark Master sends a pulse of energy down his arm, and once more Spyro yelps with pain. His body constricts further from another powerful surge of energy, and the helpless dragon begins to lose consciousness.

The Evil Master removes his hand from the purple dragon, however the electrical flow continues to pulse. A small plasma ball is anchored to his back, between his wings, making sure that Spyro stays charged.

"This is between you and I..." The Dark Master says, and his body begins to change once more. "...and I'm going to show you what a real master is my old friend!"

Malefor's pupils disappear, and the purple scales of his body turn jet black. He digs his massive front paws into the ground, splitting the hard rock with his talons. His tail slams on the red surface of the planet several times, like Spyro's does before a fight, and Malefor's upper lip snarls showing his teeth.

"You will not find this fight so easy you arrogant fool!" The black & gold dragon remarks, this time ready for an attack.

The Dark Master laughs, taking a step forward in his new form, a turbulent swirl of tornadic wind.

"You really think you can beat me this time...Dragon!"

Malefor glances at Spyro and can see him struggling to move in great pain, covered with pulsing energy from the plasma ball on his back.

"I'll have you out of that electric net in a minute Spyro..." The large dragon remarks with pure confidence, then his pupil-less eyes refocus upon the Dark Master. "...maybe less!"

Spyro, barely able to keep his eyes open from the pain, can not believe what he witnesses.

Malefor leaps forward and spins his tail around into the wind whipped face of the Dark Master, who does not move an inch. The evil creature knows this dragon's physical attack has no chance of working against his air-filled body.

However, as the large tail approaches it's target, a sudden glow of white engulfs the swinging appendage.

The Dark Master is shocked at the sudden transformation of power, and even more so as Malefor's tail connects with great force across his cheek.

The tornado of wind is broken up, dispersing in every direction, and a loud yelp of intense pain is let out by the Dark Master.

Malefor runs to Spyro, and the white glow around his tail begins to surround his right paw. He grasps the ball of plasma energy from the purple dragon's back with that paw, and hurls it in the direction of the approaching mob of demons.

Malefor helps the stunned dragon to his feet, and gives him a quick transfer of his life energy.

"Are you OK, Spyro?" He asks, still looking in every direction for the Dark Master's reappearance.

"Yeah..." He replies with a definite shakiness to his voice "...I think so..."

Spyro himself looks around, but no longer sees the Dark Master

"...is it over?" The purple dragon asks with a hopefulness in his words, still feeling pain from the stinging pulses of electricity surging through his body.

"Is he gone?"

Malefor looks down at Spyro with his pure white eyes.

"NO" He remarks with a slight grin. "That was only round 1..."

His smile increases on his face as he turns his head back towards the open area before him.

"...AND THAT ROUND GOES TO THE DRAGONS!"

* * *

><p><strong>Since the world did not end...we will get to see Round 2, but after Christmas. I have a job as Santa this year, and this weekend I will be quite busy.<strong>

**Happy Holidays everyone, and I hope you are enjoying the story**


	16. Side by Side with and Old Foe

**OK, like I promised, a more physical chapter. **

**Lets start 2013 with a bang**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 16: Side by Side with an Old Foe<span>

In the underground Portal Station, a young dragon stares into the open view of a distant red planet, through the swirling portal before him. His eyes locked upon the two purple dragons he considers his fathers.

"_I can't believe this...he's letting him come back!"_ Sparx says to himself, and his tail begins to wag with excitement.

His spirit is high, and the smile on his face wide, however, as Gaven soon stands behind him and begins to release a barrage of four letter words, Sparx can not help but begin to feel worried.

"_Oh no!"_ He thinks to himself _"What if Gaven won't let him come back!"_

"What is going on here Sparx!" The Portal Master barks at the back of the young dragon's head, and Sparx jumps from his booming voice.

The two-toned purple & gold-chested dragon slowly turns his head with a hint of fear in his movement.

"Why is your father bringing him here..." Gaven's eyes open wide and his focus leaves Sparx, returning to the portal before them both. His thought is broken by what his eyes see Spyro say.

"...OH YOU CAN HANDLE ME NOW!" He barks, and the young dragon turns his head to see his father cringe.

Sparx becomes more anxious, hearing the Portal Master's anger now aimed at his father. However, he is split with a wonderful emotion, seeing Malefor slap his father in the head with a very jovial smile across his muzzle, and the best part, his father's smile is just as large after being struck.

"_By the Ancestors!" _Sparx say to himself, and his smile reappears upon his face._ "They're playing with one another!"_

The young son of Spyro and Cynder can not help but feel the overwhelming joy in his heart, seeing his father act like Malefor is just another dragon...but that joy is short-lived as the portal flickers in his next breath.

Sparx eyes open wide, and his heart skips a beat. Hundreds of emotions rise to the surface, and the young dragon panics as the swirl of energy vanishes.

"Gaven..." He screams with fear and anger, turning his head to look sternly at the tall giant. "...why did you do that!?"

The Portal Master's blue eyes look down upon the small dragon with the same shock.

"I didn't!" Is all he replies, and quickly Gaven runs full speed to his desk.

In two long quick strides the old giant covers the floor to his work station. He places his right hand upon the smooth steel surface, and leaps over the entire console, landing in front of his chair. In the same movement Gaven sits his large frame down, and works the keyboards of his many display screens.

"Something has shut down the power to our portal..." Gaven says to Sparx, whom is quick to jump up on the large steel surface of the desk, getting a better look. "...and what ever it is, will not let us reestablish a new one!"

Sparx watches in awe, as Gaven's hands fly across the controls, posting information faster than the young dragon can read, but yet the old Master is understanding of all he sees.

"I don't know if I can get through, young dragon..." The Portal Master remarks, then looks at Sparx with a stern set of eyes. "...but if I do...you better be ready to go in a moments notice...understood!"

Sparx shakes his head in disbelief and returns a startled look to the old Master.

"ME!" He yelps with great surprise, then sits down upon the surface of the desk before he falls over. "But... but..."

"YES! YOU!" The Portal Master yells cutting off the stammering dragon, and causing Sparx to jump back to his feet at attention.

"It has to be you Sparx..." Gaven remarks, and looks at the young whelpling. "...Sonic is the only Skylander in the station, and I think he's still picking up his gold rings and broken ribs from the hallway floor!"

Sparx eyes open wide and his embarrassment fills his face.

"It's his own damn fault...I know that Sparx..." The Portal Master continues, seeing the young dragon's reaction. His right hand envelops the top of Sparx' head, gently rubbing the area behind his horns to relax him. Gaven smiles, looks back at his display screens, and once more begins to burn the keys of his control panel with his fingers.

"...I warned him that some day he would get knocked on his ass!"

Sparx gives a slight grin hearing the Portal Master's jovial attitude in the midst of this moment, however, his head lowers again with a the thought that is really bothering him.

"That's not what I meant Gaven..." Sparx whispers with depression, and raises his head to look at the old giant.

"...I didn't think you trusted me!"

Gaven stops pushing buttons immediately, struck by the pain-filled words that this young dragon has spoke. His eyes turn from the display screens before him, and focus upon the somber face of Spyro's son.

He places his right hand, once again, atop the young dragon's head, this time pulling him closer to his face.

"You have been nothing but honest with me, even when you couldn't..." Gaven remarks with a stern voice. "...I may not have agreed with it, but I am truly impressed with your courage, and your honor."

The Portal Master moves his hand under Sparx' jaw, holding the young dragon's entire face in his massive palm.

"You are so much like your father..." He says with a great smile and pure intentions. "...and I would be an idiot if I didn't trust a dragon that reminded me so much of Spyro."

A tear fills the left eye of Sparx, and Gaven's thumb quickly brushes it away. A smile fills the old weathered face of the humbled giant.

"Skylanders don't show their tears in battle, my young apprentice..." Gaven says as his eyes begin to glisten themselves. "...but they do fight with their emotions, and I will need you to fight with those emotions if your going to help your father!"

Sparx can feel a bit of weight lifted, hearing the acceptance of his secrets and believing that Gaven has trust in him, however one thought is still bothering the young boy.

"But there are two dragons, Gaven" Sparx replies with concern. "What about Malefor..."

"What About Him!" The Portal Master barks, pulling his hand back and returning to his work.

Sparx drops down from the desk noticing that Gaven has lost complete attention at the mere mention of his former mentor's name.

"Am I allowed to help him too?" The young dragon asks quite sheepishly as he walks to the center of the room. His eyes turn back to see the Portal Master has stopped working again, and is focused on him.

"Why?" Gaven smugly asks, sending a chill down the whelpling's spine, but Sparx has no intention of lying this time.

"Because he protected and cared for me, when my Mom & Dad were not there..." He says and turns his body round to look the old Master in the eye with more conviction "...and now I must protect him if I can..."

Sparx stands confidently in the spot where the portal, he just came back through, once swirled.

"...if I didn't, I would be letting my father down... " The young dragon remarks, sternly staring into Gaven's eyes. "...BOTH OF THEM!"

* * *

><p>Laying underneath Malefor's straddled legs, Spyro is still tingling from the electricity forced into his body. Small wisps of lightning spark from his legs and muzzle, as the last few volts flow to the ground.<p>

"How..." Spyro pauses uncontrollably as one last bolt of energy passes from his nose to the planet surface. "...oww...did he do that?

Malefor can not help but to chuckle for a second at Spyro, but before he can answer the question, Malefor realizes they are out of time.

"Can you fly, Spyro?" He asks with concern, looking to his left.

The young dragon shakes his head to regain his senses, and begins to rise to his feet. However, before he can even try to spread his wings out, Malefor wraps his forearms around Spyro and leaps into the air. His massive wings thrust down hard, and both dragons are catapulted high into the sky.

"Whoa!" The purple dragon yelps with shock from Malefor's quick bear hug, and the sight of the ground fading so fast. His shock quickly changes to gratitude, as he notices the mob of demons swarm the spot they were just standing.

Spyro cranes his head around to look into the eyes of the dragon holding him up, keeping him alive.

"Thank You, Malefor..." Spyro remarks in kind. "...that's twice you saved my life!"

The large dragon cloaked in dark energy smiles, and loosens his grip around Spyro feeling the younger purple dragon's wings begin to work again.

Spyro hovers out in front of Malefor's face, and both dragons look down at the swarm of raging creatures.

"I can't even image being under that pile..." Spyro remarks, watching them tare each other apart.

"Why imagine it Spyro..." That familiar evil voice rings out again, then suddenly the purple dragon can feel something wrap around his neck and put a tight grip upon the base of his right-wing. "...when you can experience it!"

Malefor's eyes pop up from the looking at the swarming demons on the ground to see the Dark Master reappear in his turbulent form of air. His windy appendages holding his new friend tightly.

The purple dragon struggles uselessly in The Dark Master's solid grasp, unable to move a muscle or understand how he can be held so tightly by air.

"Your wife had a lot of fun with my pets, Spyro..." He whispers in the ear of his captive. "...Now it's your turn!"

Spyro yelps with intense pain, as his wing is snapped with the tornadic force of the Dark Master's right hand, then released to fall back to his hungry army.

"NO!" Malefor yells, watching Spyro drop helplessly to the angry swarm of dog-like creatures below. He quickly lowers from the sky to catch him, however the Dark Master has no intentions of letting that happen.

With a heavy gust of wind, Malefor's wings are filled like a sail, and he is quickly forced away from Spyro.

The large dragon swoops around and tries for another attempt before his new friend hits the ground. Malefor circles fast, and sees the Dark Master readying another blast of wind to stop him, however, at the last moment, he snaps his wings back, streamlining his body to reduce his large profile. Burrowing through the micro-burst of wind, Malefor reaches down and grasps Spyro by the tail. The young purple dragon's eyes pop up from the swarm of angry beasts, to the feeling of incredible strain on his tail. Spyro can see the intensity of Malefor's eyes, as he reaches down with his other arm.

"Grab My Paw, Spyro...Hurry!" He yelps, trying to get the purple dragon hoisted into his arms, so he can fly faster.

However, as Spyro curls his body to reach up, Malefor is struck from behind by a ball of Plasma energy. Like before, the intense sphere of electricity adheres to the large black dragon's back, sending an uncontrollable amount of voltage into both Spyro and Malefor.

Spyro, once again, has no recourse to keep his body from curling up with the intensity of electricity running through him, however Malefor, being much stronger, struggles to hold his grasp and will not let go of his helpless friend.

With a hard flap of his wings, the large dragon makes his way, as fast as he can, away from the Dark Master and his minions.

Weaving hard to avoid a volley of intense bolts of lightning coming from behind, Malefor heads for an elevated clearing just off in the distance. As he reaches the higher plateau of land, and knows Spyro will be safe there for a moment, Malefor lowers and releases the young dragon, crashing to the ground shortly afterward in pain.

Spyro, dropped only a few feet in the air, and still curled up tightly, lands on the ground and rolls to an easy stop, however, unable to stop his momentum from the electricity surging through him, Malefor slams to the rock surface hard.

"MALEFOR!" Spyro barks with concern as he uncoils from his electrocution.

With his broken right-wing painfully dragging behind him, he runs over to help the still pulsing dragon, but Spyro is forced to stop a few feet before him, as bolts of electricity begin streaming towards him from the plasma ball on Malefor's back.

"Stop Spyro..." The large dragon barks "...don't touch me!"

Spyro steps back and looks around for any sign of the Dark Master, or anything that can help him get this ball of energy off Malefor's back. He watches with a deep guilt knowing he is helpless to do anything, as Malefor struggles to grasp the ball from his back with his own paw. It is nearly impossible for a dragon to bend his arm around to his back, and Spyro begins to become irate as Malefor suffers more and more.

Fed up watching him struggle to no avail, and with no regard for his own safety, the young dragon steps forward again, and reaches his muzzle out to grasp this intense ball of energy.

"NO!" Malefor screams, seeing what Spyro is about to do, knowing that this plasma ball is 10 times stronger than the one he was shackled with. Such an overload of electricity into his smaller frame alone...could kill him.

However, as Spyro is about to bite down upon this energy ball, he can feel his remaining gold horn grasped from behind. The purple dragon is yanked backed and up on to his hind legs.

Spyro flails his left paw back to break the grip on his horn, and is shocked as his paw splashes through an arm of pure water, severing the connection.

Suddenly another watery arm wraps around his chest, and the arm that was cut from his horn regrows before his eyes, then grasps his neck and lower jaw.

Spyro's muzzle is forced up, and his eyes behold the Dark Master's shimmering face of pure water.

"I warned you to stay out of this fight, Spyro..." The Dark Master angrily says to the purple dragon's tightly secured face. "...so I guess I'll just kill you first!"

The Dark Master cinches his grip tighter, and yanks Spyro's upper body into his chest. The purple dragon is startled, and is not even able to take a breath as his muzzle is the first part of his body enveloped into the Dark Master's watery frame.

Spyro kicks his feet into the ground to push himself through, but it is no use. He then tries to grab whatever is holding his muzzle in the suffocating water of this evil creature's body, however it is just water.

Spyro can sense the hopelessness of his situation, as he can feel only the scales of his own neck but nothing holding him. His eyes focus through the vibrating waves of water, seeing the air only inches from his nostrils, but can not move a single millimeter to get any.

Malefor, surging with electricity, is horrified at his friend's predicament, and desperately tries to get to his feet. The pain in Spyro's eyes, help the large dragon find the strength to fight the constricting of his muscles. Malefor struggles to straighten his legs underneath him, but The Dark Master doesn't let him get to high up on his paws.

The evil master douses the large black dragon with a wave from his watery hand.

The splash of liquid covers Malefor, surging the intensity of the plasma ball from his back to every single scale on his body. The large dragon yelps in pain and wisps of lightning and steam billow from him as he falls back to his stomach once more.

The sight of Malefor dropping to the ground, convulsing with pain, and the sound of laughter, muffled by the water in his ears, gets Spyro's blood boiling. His eyes fill the Dark Master's body with a bright white glow, and the scales of his frame turn as black as the soul of the creature trying to drown him.

Spyro snaps his head down, staring at the pulsing dragon laying before them, and digs the claws of his right foot into the ground. With great force, the dark dragon pulls his body towards Malefor, and spears his left talons into the ground a bit closer to him.

"Oh no you don't..." The Dark Master barks, taking a step forward himself to keep Spyro's nose and mouth concealed in the suffocating water of his body.

However, Spyro is quick to move his right leg further forward with the extra step his foe has taken, again anchoring his claws into the rock surface and pulling for all he's worth.

"...you will not break free!" The Dark Master shouts with anger, yanking Spyro's head back up to keep him from breathing. However, the smile on the dark dragon's muzzle puzzles the watery creature.

"Wasn't trying too!" Spyro replies muffled underwater, and snaps his tail between his legs striking Malefor's electrically charged body.

With a connection made through the black dragon, the Dark Master gets a nasty wake up call from his own device. At 186,000 miles per second, the intensity of the plasma ball fills the liquid body of the Dark Master. Even with all of his strength, this powerful beast can not stop the chemical break down of his body by the polar opposite element that now streaks through him.

The ball of energy on Malefor's back explodes from the overload, sending a shock wave that slams the Dark Master's body with more electricity, and shattering the control he has over his element.

Spyro coughs uncontrollably for air, from his uncovered muzzle, as the Dark Master's watery form splashes to the ground soaking into the cracks of the planet's rocky surface.

Malefor slowly rises to his feet, shaking off the after effects of his shock treatment,and slowly walks over to Spyro, whom also begins rising to his feet.

"I think that round goes to him, Malefor!" Spyro says with a bit of sarcasm, and a lot of pain in his voice.

"Well, we better not let him take advantage of us like that again..." Malefor retorts, looking sternly into Spyro's pure white eyes. "...or we'll lose this fight!"

Both dark dragons hold position back to back spinning their bodies around 360 degrees to keep an eye out for the Dark Master, or to spot a portal back to the station.

"How can he transform his body like that Malefor?" Spyro asks curiously, still limping in pain and circling defensively with the larger dragon.

"It's a trait he picked-up from one of his puppets..." He replies with anger, and stops his defensive posturing. Malefor turns to his counter-part and his voice becomes somber. "...a purple dragon, that could not control that type of elemental power when he was younger!"

"YOU!" Spyro remarks with shock. "How can that be possible...we can't do that!"

Malefor's eyes flash with a great power, and a wide smile crosses his face.

"Who says we can't!"

* * *

><p>Back in the Portal Station, Sparx is pacing faster and faster as time ticks by, knowing his fathers must be in great danger if someone is purposely keeping them there.<p>

"Would you please stop doing that, Sparx ..." Gaven hollers from his desk. "...you are distracting me!"

The young dragon halts his pacing, rears up on his back legs, then slams his front paws down on the ground.

"I thought you were THE PORTAL MASTER..." The young dragon barks back. "...OPEN ONE ALREADY!"

Gaven looks at the young dragon with rage, but it is mostly the frustration of not being able to open a portal that has him so angered.

"I'm getting close, Sparx!" He responds with a calmer voice, knowing the young dragon is just as anxious about his father...and Malefor. Gaven also knows he is only seconds away from breaking through the interference, but the young dragon's pacing was driving him nuts.

"Please...you must try to calm yourself..." The Portal Master remarks, as he returns his focus to the control panel in front him. A smile crosses his face as he figures out a good way to keep Sparx occupied, and also give the young dragon a powerful boost at the same time

"...go inside my office and on the desk you'll find the helmet and bracelets that go with that tail armor...get them!"

Sparx looks over to the office door behind Gaven, and quickly runs towards it. However as the door opens wide, the old master gives one quick warning to the young dragon.

"DO NOT PUT THEM ON..." He remarks turning his head toward Sparx to make sure he heard him. "...Just bring them out here...UNDERSTOOD!"

The two-toned dragon nods his head and continues into the office.

Gaven returns to his control panel, working the keys with no distraction and making progress quickly. The Portal Master is getting faint signals from Spyro's wrist communicator, showing him the vitals of his friend are going down.

"Oh no..." Gaven says to himself. "...I fear we may be to late young dragon!"

The Portal Master, with a resurgence of anger, begins to work his magic. With thousands of years of experience, and a total disregard for his station's power supply, Gaven begins cutting through the interference surround this small red planet.

"HURRY SPARX!" The Portal Master yells, noticing a sudden break in the jamming signal, and quickly amps the power further to force open a portal.

However, it is mistake the old master quickly regrets.

The portal he opens is in the same coordinates as the last one, exactly where millions of small dog-like demons are crossing the landscape.

Hundreds upon hundreds of them pour through the opening in space, and fill the Main Room with the sounds of barking and howling. Gaven quickly slams the lock down button at his control panel, sealing the Main Room off from the rest of the station, however, he does not close the portal. That hole in space is the only chance his friend and General has, and he is not about to close it for a couple of dogs.

The old giant stands on his feet, and rolls up his sleeves.

"Well now..." Gaven remarks looking down upon the small creatures swarming in his station. "...someone should tell your Master that I don't allow PETS!"

Sparx, in Gaven's office, has the shackles and helmet in his front paws, and was gliding towards the door when it suddenly shut in front of him.

"GAVEN!" The young dragon yells, dropping the armor and banging on the steel blast door with his paws.

"Open the door!" He continues hearing the pain-filled cries of the old master, and the familiar sounds of the hellish frenzy of a thousand beasts.

Sparx pupils fade from the whites of his eyes, and the purple scales down his back darken with his rage. The dark purple scales of his Mother's heritage remain the same, but pulse with the energy of his father's blood, and his chest begins to glow on his darkened frame, filling the room with golden light.

His narrow muzzle opens wide, releasing a powerful blast of pure Fury. This incredible breath of Convexity, sheers the steel blast doors from their hinges, sending them clear across the large room.

Dozens of demons are plowed to their death by the forced doors, and the others look on startled at the young dragon standing in the now wide open doorway.

His eyes squinted with anger, looking upon this once magnificent room, now being destroyed by these hate-driven monsters, and it is the straw that breaks his emotional back.

These are the bastards that hurt his mother, and killed his adoptive one. These are the animals that haunt his every nightmare. And now, these few creatures will be the ones he is going to take revenge upon.

With a puff of black clouds and the mysterious floating claws that spread out from the Dark Magic of Shadows...Sparx body disappears from sight.

The young whelpling quickly notices Gaven huddled behind his desk, fending off countless attacks, and makes a bee line straight for him.

Spinning like a violent twister, Sparx' invisible body clears a path to the Portal Master with great ease. He grasps the old giant by the arm, and with every bit of strength his wings can muster, Sparx lifts the nearly 12 foot-tall, one-ton giant from the ground.

Unable to see him, the old master is quickly startled by the grip on his arm, and more so as his body takes to the air.

"Easy, Master Gaven...I got you!" Sparx' voice calls out with strain. "Just hold on!"

The Portal Master looks up at his arm with confusion, as he is hoisted into the air by nothing.

"Hold on to What?"

Sparx gives a slight chuckle, and raises up to the large chandelier in the center of the main room.

"Here..." The voice bellows with laughter. "...hold on to this!"

Gaven reaches over grasping the sterling silver frame, pulling himself on to the large fixture. His focus shifts to his right as the chandelier bobs from another landing upon it.

Sparx suddenly reappears from the shadows with his eyes locked firmly upon the ground, watching the swarm of countless demons continue to pile through the portal.

"This is crazy Gaven..." The young dragon remarks with concern. "...I've never seen so many of these things in one place..."

His white eyes turn to focus back on Gaven, perched beside him 30 feet up.

"...I need to go help my father, and Malefor..." He barks with even more concern in his voice. "...they can't survive an attack like this!"

Gaven grasps Sparx' muzzle pulling him face to face with the old giant.

"And you think you can!?" The Portal Master yells with anger.

Sparx does not flinch from Gaven's intimidation, and grabs the large hand upon muzzle with his right paw.

His eyes flash a bright glow of purple then fade back to white. With little effort the powerful whelpling removes Gaven's hand from his jaw, holding it tightly to keep the Portal Master face to face.

The giant elf-like man is startled by the overwhelming amount of force he can feel in the young dragon's grip, and more so by his nonchalant posture and arrogant smile.

Without releasing his hand, Sparx returns his attention back to the ground, and the swarm of demons still gathering. The small dragon opens his muzzle, and Gaven beholds a tiny white orb of pure light form in the back of his throat.

The intense heat can be felt by the old master, like the Sun had just risen inside the room, and he watches Sparx inhale a deep breath. A wide beam of focused light then fires from the dragon's mouth, incinerating every living thing it touches.

Moving his head back and forth, Sparx destroys all life in the room with the insane heat of a mini Sun, leaving scorch marks on the steel floor that even Sonic the Hedgehog would be proud of.

The young dragon looks back at the Portal Master, closing his mouth upon the ball of pure light, and showing the same arrogant smile as before.

"I know I can!" He remarks, still with the a bright glow coming from his muzzle.

Sparx drops to the ground before the portal, and incinerates the next batch of demons that try to enter, before they even touch the Main Room's floor.

Gaven leaps down beside the small dragon, and both stare into the swirl of energy.

"Are you sure you can handle THAT!" Gaven remarks, seeing the sea of creatures on the other side.

Sparx smile has disappeared, seeing the vast amount of demons, and he turns his head back to the Portal Master.

"That will all depend on you Gaven..." Sparx remarks with concern. "...can you reopen this portal if I asked you to close it?"

Gaven becomes quite confused and answers his question with a question.

"WHY?"

Sparx looks back at the portal and quickly lights up the next group that begins to pour through.

"Because they're not gonna stop..." Sparx replies still with the glowing orb in the back of his throat. "...not until they are all dead!"

Sparx flaps his wings to raise himself up to Gaven's eye level.

"I can stop this army, Gaven..." The young dragon remarks with confidence. "...but if this portal stays open, you will feel the repercussions of what I'd have to do, and I'm not sure this station could take it!"

The Portal Master's eyes open with intrigue of power, and his mind quickly begins to calculate.

"I don't know if I can, Sparx..." Gaven replies after a moment, looking at the swirl of energy that took so much of the station's power to produce. "...it took almost everything to open this one. I don't think I should close it!"

The young dragon lowers his head in defeat, and turns back to the portal, waiting for the next group of demons to stop from coming in. If this is all he can do, then he will make sure that portal stays clear for his father and Malefor.

Gaven can see the dejection in Sparx' posture, and begins to think to himself again. A small light bulb goes off in the old master's head, and a quick smile crosses his face.

"However..." The Portal Master remarks, and Sparx snaps his attention back to him. "...I think I know somewhere, or I should say someone, who can help get the power I need to do it!"

A smile fills the young dragon's face, as he watches Gaven walk to his desk, and sit at the controls.

"I will shut it down after you pass through..." The Portal Master remarks, then stops with startlement. He looks up at the dragon noticing something missing. "Wait...where is the armor I asked you to get Sparx!"

The young dragon, again shows an arrogant smirk, and turns back to the portal.

"I didn't want to destroy it!" He yelps, and removes the tail plate from his back. The two-toned dragon then leaps into the portal with his wings spread wide.

"DRAGONS" Gaven barks with frustration at Sparx, thinking how much he can be annoyed by these winged creatures, but also knows that overwhelming confidence is what makes them so special.

A slight grin crosses his face feeling a moment of déjà vu, remembering how Spyro is so much the same way.

HOwever he suddenly stares back at the flashing portal, and slowly breathes a deep regretful sigh.

"Please be careful, young whelpling..." The Portal Master says somberly, lowering his head with a feeling he has felt to many times with other young Skylanders, but more so now with Sparx. "...Cynder and Spyro will kill me if anything happens to you!"

Gaven shuts down the portal, then makes a quick announcement on the PA before killing the power to the rest of the station. He watches the energy level to the portal platform rise, but it is not enough to open a new one.

The portal Master shakes his head with disgust, and begins tapping buttons on his control panel, lowering the large view screen against the far wall. With the quick flicker of light, and the buzzing sound of white noise, an image of a yellow and blue dragon appears.

"Gaven..." The dragon remarks with surprise. "...It is a quite a remarkable, astounding, and an unbelievable coincidence that you have called at this exact moment...I was just talking to Cyril that I have not seen the Skylander Portal Master in such a long time that I was wondering if I had annoyed, or angered, or upset…"

"SHUT-UP, VOLTEER!" Gaven barks, stopping the electric dragon mid-rant. "It's good to see you too...but I need a quick favor from the guardians!"

"I'm Sorry, Master Gaven!" Volteer remarks, knowing to keep his answer short and sweet this time. "I will get Terridor for you right away."

"Wait..." The old giant replies as the yellow dragon turns to walk away. "...I actually need to speak to you Volteer...and would love nothing more then for you to stop by for a quick visit!"

* * *

><p>Back upon the red planet's surface, Spyro and Malefor continue to speak about the power the Dark Master has produced, and the origins from which he learned to do such things.<p>

"What do you mean I can do that!" Spyro remarks, hearing Malefor talk of techniques never heard of before. "How can I change my body into a lightning bolt or ever water?"

The large dragon smirks at his younger counter-part.

"I had plenty of time to learn, Spyro..." He says, knowing how long it took to teach himself to manipulate elements in such a way, but also that after learning how to do it, he found it wasn't hard to teach another. "...and if that old crack-pot Gaven can manage us a way back, then I just may show you how easy it is!"

Spyro again is startled by what Malefor says, and he snaps his attention to the larger black dragon.

"You know The Portal Master?" He asks with the same amount of shock and disbelief, and Malefor cracks a very wide smile.

However, before the old dragon can speak of his history with Gaven, a sudden rumble from under his paws unsettles him from his thoughts.

"I grow tired of this boring fight..." The Dark Master's voice bellows in the air, and the ground begins to shake more violently. "...perhaps it's time to stack the odds in my favor!"

Malefor's eyes open wide as he notices the mountains in the distance getting taller.

"Spyro! Can you still fight?" He asks, realizing quickly that it's not the mountains getting taller, but the plateau they are standing upon on is actually lowering to the ground.

"If I have to..." The dark dragon replies with a cough, still clearing some water from his lungs. "...but I won't be looking forward to it!"

Malefor gives him a smirk then gestures his head towards the lifting horizon.

"I don't think we'll have a choice in the matter!" The large dragon retorts with sarcasm, and gives a quick laugh.

Both dragons stride to the edge of the plateau, looking down at the rising ground filled with the Dark Master's angry army of dog-like beasts.

"Shit!" They bark in unison, seeing that the millions of creatures covering the ground below is so thick that they can no longer see the red surface of the planet.

However, a sudden bright flicker of light in the distance catches their eyes.

"That's the portal!" Spyro barks, recognizing it as the exact spot where they were standing minutes ago. "We have to get back over there somehow!"

Without pause, Malefor grabs Spyro in his arms and opens his massive wings, but as the large black and gold dragon leaps into the air, the Dark Master's hand reforms from the rocky surface below, grabbing his tail.

Taken by complete surprise, Malefor loses his balance, and falls forward over the edge of the cliff. His grip on Spyro is jarred, but somehow the powerful black and gold dragon holds on to his new friend's left forearm.

"Whoa!" Spyro yelps, looking down at the thousands of chopping teeth less than a hundred feet directly below him. He turns his head up to look Malefor in the eye.

"Please...Don't Let Go!" He yelps with a sarcastic voice, seeing the pure strain on Malefor's face.

"I wasn't really planning on it..." He struggles to reply, but then a smile fills his face as he looks at the recessed wall of the cliff. He begins swinging Spyro to the ledge they are hanging from, hoping he can reach if he swings him hard enough.

"...yet!"

However, with a sudden jolt to his tail, the large dragon feels his body being pulled back by the Dark Master. His grip on Spyro weakens with the sudden movement, and sweat begins to form on the large dragon's forehead, knowing full well his friend can not fly with a broken wing.

Spyro is quick to realize Malefor's problem, and rips his left arm from dragon's paw holding him up.

Malefor panics in the first second as Spyro begins to drop, however, the younger dragon opens his working left-wing and circles hard to the right, slamming face first into the cliff. Even with the painful impact to his muzzle, Spyro digs the claws of his front paws into the rock wall, then dangles there for a moment. He shakes his head, clearing the cobwebs and looks up at Malefor with a slight smirk.

Malefor, feels the relief of Spyro's smile, knowing he is not going to fall. He coils his body back up the cliff with a thrust of his wings, and yanks his tail from the Dark Master's stone grip. The large black dragon circles around landing just next to the appendage sticking from the ground.

Waiting with anticipation, he watches the Dark Master rise from the rock surface, forming a solid creature of pure stone, eye level to the massive dragon.

"So Malefor, are you ready to finally go one on one with your former master?" He bellows with arrogance, but a smile crosses the black dragon's face, and the stone beast is slightly confused.

"NOPE!" He replies with pure defiance, seeing the front paws of Spyro dig into the cliff edge behind the Dark Master...and as his head clears the ledge, Malefor can see Spyro's muzzle is already open wide and glowing with magic.

With a taste of his own medicine, the younger dragon fires a sharp shard of solid Ice into the unsuspecting Dark Master's back. The projectile breaks a large chunk from the rock giant's side, and he howls in agony.

Malefor, in the same breath, leaps forward and snaps his tail into the same side that he just lost a part of. The impact cracks the Dark Master into 4 large pieces, and he once again falls to the ground shattering upon the hard surface.

"That was a much better round!" Spyro remarks, pulling the remainder of his body up over the cliff, and proudly walking toward Malefor with a bounce in his step. Spyro returns his attention to the portal flickering miles away,as he gets next to the large dragon. "Now, if you don't mind Malefor, maybe you should fly me over there, before he decides to pull himself together again!"

The larger black and gold dragon smiles, and quickly stands up on his hind legs behind Spyro.

The smaller black and gold dragon, carefully tucks his broken right-wing with his front paw, and waits for Malefor to grab him, which he does gingerly.

"Does that hurt?" Malefor remarks with a deep sarcasm in his voice, but also a tone of wonderment. The large dragon lowers himself easily upon Spyro's back, and grasp tighter to his left side, so not to hurt his wing any further. His voice is filled with arrogance as he continues in Spyro's ear.

"You know, In 4 million years...I never broke a wing."

"FOUR MILLION WHAT!" Spyro barks with complete shock, and turns his head around to look at the dragon holding him.

Spyro can tell right away he is not lying by his eyes, because they, like his son's, are just as solid as his own.

_"Four million years..." _ Spyro thinks to himself _"...That's impossible!"_

However, before the young dragon can ask how, Malefor's eyes change to pure fear and they focus towards the portal glimmering in the distance.

"By the Ancestors...NO!" He yelps with rage and surprise, and Spyro quickly turns his attention as well.

His eyes focus upon a small dragon that has taken to the sky just outside the portal, and a fear he has never felt before fills his heart.

"SPARX!" The young father screams, waiting for Malefor to take off, and help. However, something else has taken the larger dragon's attention, and it happened when he decide to look behind him.

"Oh no!" The large dragon remarks, then spins Spyro's eyes away from his son.

The young father becomes angered at the complete disregard Malefor has for his son's well-being, however, when his eyes focus on what scared his former foe, Spyro becomes just as worried

"HE'S GONE!" Malefor remarks, seeing every pebble of the Dark Master's stone body has disappeared, and suddenly Malefor begins to pulse with an energy that consumes Spyro as well.

"He's going after your son!" The large dragon cries with fear, and without another moment, Malefor thrusts his wings forward, catapulting he and Spyro at great speed in the direction of Sparx and the portal.

Both dragon hurdle backward until Malefor turns his body in flight to face the direction he is flying. At that exact moment, both dragons become sickened at what they see...or don't see.

The portal has vanished...and Sparx is no longer in sight.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope that you are enjoying the story so far, and thank you all for the comments I have received. <strong>

**The posting of this chapter will mark my one year anniversary as a member of Fanficton, and I must say it has been a pretty good year. This story has been a great way to remove myself from the frustrations of the real world...well for at least a few hours a day. **

**I also want to thank Spyro the Dragon, Dragonball Z (my other story), and Fanfiction itself for helping me find a new and much better obsession. It has helped me find ****new friends across the country, and around the world...I have increased my vocabulary, and no longer sound like an idiot...But most of all, I am still down 100 pounds, from last January, and that is call for celebration...**

**So happy new year everyone, and let me hear what you think so far. I enjoy the feedback...good or bad! **


	17. Honor

Chapter 17 Honor

In an unknown and mystical part of the galaxy, reachable only by magic, sits an old palace in near ruin. The age of this place coincides with its resident, a Guardian charged with keeping the history of the dragon ages.

A bright glow emanates from a small window, high upon the only remaining structure that is still in pristine condition. A library, filled with hundreds of thousands of books, every story as individual as the life of the dragon that had lived it.

A rainbow of light flows from the window, shimmering with the spectrum of different colors, filling the normally dark room with a glow of pure energy.

"Constantine..." The swirling Guardian of the Universe says, forgetting the new name of his old friend. "...we need to get going now!"

"I am trying, Thomas..." The blue dragon retorts, working the controls of the only modern piece of technology in the entire room, a small portal platform. The Chronicler turns his head from the control panel before him, and stares into the eyes of his friend of several lifetimes.

"...and if I can get your name right..." He remarks with some frustration and anger in his deepened voice. "...then maybe you can get mine right!"

The Guardian's attention breaks from his thought, and he quickly is taken by his old friend's attitude.

"I'm sorry...Ignitus..." Thomas retorts with slight concern, knowing this faux pa never bothered him like that before. "...what is wrong?"

The Chronicler lowers his head, and returns his eyes to the screen before him.

"I can not get a portal open to their exact position..." Ignitus remarks with the same frustration, and the energy Guardian now realizes why his old friend was so bitter. "...he is blocking me Thomas...and I can't do a damn thing about it from here...this thing doesn't nearly have the power we will need!"

With that thought, the energy giant turns back to the three books, glowing with history's pen. His eyes focus upon the open pages of Malefor's giant life story, and the new text being burned into the paper.

A smile crosses his face, reading about the large dragon fighting side by side with Spyro, and getting a vague image of a fight for the ages. However, Thomas' eyes catches a change in a Sparx' closed book, a different type of change, that spooks the old Guardian.

The binding has begun to darken.

"_No! Not Sparx! I can't let this happen..."_ The energy giant says to himself, and the rage and frustrations of his past, fill his soul. _"...NOT AGAIN!"_

"Ignitus...return to the portal station now!" He barks with sternness in his voice that lets the blue dragon know this is his ORDERS.

The Guardian of the Universe turns his regretful eyes back to his old friend.

"I will handle this alone...I have to" He says somberly, and his eyes lock solidly upon the blue dragon before him.

"This is my responsibility, Ignitus..." Thomas' remarks with deep regret, and a single drop of pure energy falls from his left eye. "...tell my brother...I do what I must...and that I will miss him!"

"WHAT!" The Chronicler remarks with shock from what was spoken. However, before he can say another word, The energy giant disappears with a flash of mystical power.

"THOMAS!" The blue dragon yelps in the empty room, filled with the magical books telling stories of life and death.

His blue eyes focus upon the reason for his friend's sudden action, and Ignitus becomes just as spooked. The Chronicler's eyes return to the display screen before him, and quickly he opens a portal to the underground station. Ignitus then runs over to the small book of Sparx, that is now fluctuation with dark energy, and grasps it in his paws before heading to the swirl of light that has formed in the room.

He holds the book against his chest with his left forearm, running on three paws back to the portal he opened. The blue dragon becomes puzzled seeing the Main Room, through the swirl of energy, lit up with the glow of red emergency lights, but nonetheless he still jumps into the spacial rift without pause.

In the blink of an eye, Ignitus is transported to the room he was just looking at, quickly noticing a fierce battle took place.

"What the hell happen here, Gaven!?" The Chronicler barks, startling the Portal Master and his honored guests, two large dragons, of whom he is very familiar with.

"Ignitus?" One of the guests replies, a large green and orange-scaled dragon, who is quick to rush over to the new dragon in the room.

"By the Ancestors..." Terridor remarks, as he stands in shock before his old friend. "...I can not believe my eyes!"

The large Earth Guardian grasps Ignitus in his arms, lifting him off the ground in a tight embrace, and even though his thoughts are filled with impending danger of the Dark Master's attack, the former Fire Guardian cannot help but feel a bit of joy in his old friend's grip.

"It is good to see you too, Terridor..." Ignitus remarks, then turns his attention to the other blue dragon in the room. "...you too Cyril. I have missed my friends, and am glad to see you both in good health."

However, Ignitus' eyes notice one guardian is missing.

"But...Where is Volteer?" He asks, wanting nothing more than to greet all three of his former compatriots.

"I'm over here..." barks an aggravated voice from behind.

The Chronicler spins around, and is startled seeing the yellow dragon attached to the portal platform, pulsing with electricity.

"...for some reason...they think I'm a pink bunny rabbit with sunglasses and a drum!"

Gaven smirks at the pulsing dragon, and begins to laugh.

"And what a good battery you are, Volteer!" The Portal Master remarks as he watches the power level on the platform jump to its limits. "I should be able to open the portal in a moment, so be quiet and keep pumping out that pow..."

Gaven pauses, suddenly noticing Ignitus came back alone.

"...Where is my brother?" He asks with deep suspicion, and his old friend lowers his head.

"He said to tell you, he is going to do what he MUST!" The Chronicler remarks, knowing full well what that means.

The Portal Master also understands this cryptic message, and a deep fear fills his heart.

"Hurry Volteer..." Gaven barks with frustration. "...we need more power...NOW!"

"Sure...nothing outlasts, Volteer! " The yellow dragon retorts with anger, then gives an insane boost of his energy to the platform "...I'll just keep going, and going, and going, and going..."

* * *

><p>Back on a distant world, outside the Dragon Realms, Malefor holds a distraught Spyro in his arms. Both dragons in their most powerful form cannot help but feel powerless at the disappearance of<em> their<em> son.

"SPARX!" Spyro screams with pain, held in Malefor's secure grip, still unable to fly with his broken wing. The young father can sense his son, and is terrified that he is under the sea of these vicious animals.

Malefor, on the other hand, has a different fear. One that has spooked him since the day he saw the raw power that Sparx has within, and unleashed that fateful day Cynder disappeared.

"_He has him..."_ The large dragon says to himself, and suddenly his wings begin to slow, sinking both dragons from the sky with his depression _ "...all is lost!" _

However, a rumble of energy and the flash of a bright light from under the sea of creatures, raises the spirits, and the altitude of the falling dragons.

"It's him Malefor..." Spyro remarks with joy in his voice, seeing Sparx rise up from the swarm, his body glowing brightly. "...That's my son..."

Spyro turns his head to look at the large dragon holding him, controlling where they go.

"...we have to go help him!"

But Malefor thrusts his wings in the opposite direction, and catapults himself away.

"What the hell are you doing, Malefor!" Spyro barks with anger and confusion as the large dragon spins his body around and picks up more speed.

"We have to get out of here now..." Malefor replies with concern, feeling the same power that shook the world one fateful day, and forced he and Snow to find an orphaned dragon. "...he is going to kill everything, Spyro..."

Malefor barrel-rolls his body, snapping his wings back to produce as much speed as he can, and heads for the mountains in the distance.

"...including us, if we don't get out of range!"

Spyro's attention stays directly behind, and he is stunned watching the power his son is drawing upon. Suddenly the rumble from behind increase a thousand fold, and Malefor drops from the sky, knowing what is coming next.

"Hang on Spyro!" The large dragon yelps as he streamlines his body to drop faster, approaching the ground at break-neck speed.

The smaller dragon doesn't pay any attention to the impending impact, his eyes are focused squarely on his son, whom has just exploded with a surge of power, sending a massive dome-shaped shock-wave in all directions.

"Sparx...No!" Spyro yelps fearing the worst, but suddenly his eyes go dark.

Just before hitting the ground, Malefor surrounds both he and Spyro in a thick ball of stone that slams into the rocky surface. The defensive shell of heavy rock burrows into the ground from the speed of its impact, leaving only half of the ball exposed to this powerful wave of energy. However, it is still enough of a profile to take a direct hit from the super-sonic wave of power.

Malefor's shell breaks upon impact, but takes most of the force of the initial wave. However, both dragons are still slammed down with the secondary pulses from such an incredible explosion, that occurred miles away.

Spyro shakes his head to clear his senses, and quickly checks upon the motionless purple dragon beside him.

"Malefor!" He barks with fear, seeing his normal color has returned. Spyro quickly checks his pulse and takes a breath seeing his chest move with life, however, he is unable to wake the unconscious dragon.

Spyro cranes his head, and his pure white eyes fill with shock at the sight behind him. A perfect circle ranging for miles in every direct has been erased from the surface of the planet.

"By The Ancestors!" the black dragon barks with shock, and his eyes focus in the center of this circle.

He is miles away, but Spyro's eyes can still spot the glowing brilliance from the gold scales of his son's chest.

"He's alive!" He says to himself with shock, and without thought of pain in his wing, or fear of the Dark Master who still may be in the area, Spyro runs full speed towards his child.

With every step, the young father can feel a great pain increase in his heart. Sparx has not moved an inch, and Spyro begins running faster than his feet can move.

"SPARX!" He yells trying to get his son just to jump from his voice, but he still lays motionless, and Spyro runs faster. As he gets closer, the tears streaming from his eyes blind him from a small rock that trips his front paw.

The black dragon stumbles and steps on his dragging broken wing. Spyro painfully pulls himself down by his own wing, falling to the ground hard, and rolling several times with his momentum. The dark dragon yelps with extreme pain, as his broken wing wraps uncontrollably around his body, securing his arms to his side.

Spyro rolls to a stop a few yards away from Sparx and begins to cry with the pain from his wing, and the thought that he has failed his son.

"Dad!" The soft voice of Sparx says, clearing Spyro's emotions in a second, and he quickly turns his head around awkwardly to look toward his son.

"SPARX!" He barks with a joy, seeing his son's eyes opened, and signs of life he didn't see before.

Spyro, despite the pain, is able to yank his left arm from out of the tight cocoon his broken-wing bound him in, then struggles to get to his feet. He quickly limps over to Sparx gently laying his body atop his son, and securing him tightly with his arms.

"I have you...Sparx..." Spyro whispers in his ear, his tears pouring upon his son's muzzle. "...and I will never let you go!"

"Well that will become a problem than..." The resonating voice of the Dark Master bellows, and the ground begins to rumble with vibrations below. "...how do you plan on keeping my new puppet in your pathetic arms Spyro!"

Suddenly a fist of pure rock comes up from the ground, missing the whelpling by inches, but striking his father directly on the point of his jaw.

Spyro is hurled off his son with the force from the unsuspecting upper-cut, landing upon his back and wings. The pain surges though him, but the black and gold dragon bounces back to his feet, finding a strength he never know he had.

His eyes focus sharp with rage seeing the stone hand envelop his son and raise to the air with the rest of his body.

"See...that was easy enough!" The Dark Master remarks sarcastically, holding Spyro's son before him, tightly secured in his stone grasp.

"LET HIM GO NOW, OR I WILL KILL YOU!" The dark dragon barks with a resonating tone in his voice, that spooks the Dark Master for a moment. His voice sounds like his own, and a concern fills the Dark Master's thoughts knowing Spyro possesses a power that can destroy him, however...

"You would only kill your son, Spyro..." He retorts with arrogance. "...and I know you wouldn't dare do that!"

Spyro smiles at the Dark Master, and he crouches down to draw upon that power.

"_What is he doing!"_ The evil master thinks to himself, knowing full well that he can just shield himself with Sparx and take Spyro instead...a win win situation. _"I thought you would be smarter than Malefor!"_

Spyro continues to draw power, pulling every last bit of magic in his body he can muster into one blast of pure Fury.

The Dark Master smiles knowing full well Spyro will be spent on Magic power after a blast like this, and whether or not it is him or his son, the evil master will be going home today. His new dragon puppet to stay behind and rule under his control.

However, as Spyro lowers his head, opens his muzzle, and fires...the rock giant's smile goes away fast.

A blast of the pure-blooded power of his heritage slams the lower portion of the Dark Master's stone body, shearing him in half at the waist. Vaporized upon impact, the torso of this massive giant slams to the ground where his legs once were, but he remains up-rite and in one piece...just a bit smaller though.

"I wasn't expecting that..." The stone creature yelps with some embarrassment in his voice, after dropping eye level to Spyro.

However, with the upper part of his body untouched, his grasp upon Sparx remains strong. His eyes focus on the semi-conscious dragon in his rock solid arms, and he taunts the young father once more

"...but I am still not letting him go..." He remarks with arrogance, knowing, without the lower half of his body, Spyro is still no match for him. "...he will be my slave, and YOU will be his first victim!"

Spyro suddenly watches a dark cloud of magic begin to billow from the evil master's stone hand, surrounding his son in a fog of Dark Energy. His eyes fill with fear, recognizing this mist as the same poison that caused him to almost destroy all he cares about, only 3 days ago.

"NOOO!" The young dragon screams, and something inside of him snaps.

In the same breath, the Dark Master looks up at the howling dragon, and his eyes fill with shock.

A flash of power and a burst of incredible speed, places the angered father inches from the Dark Master, and before he can even lift a muscle to defend, he is slammed with a barrage from the black and gold dragon.

With a primal rage inside his body, Spyro spins beside his son's attacker, slamming him with repeated punches, kicks, and devastating tail whips to his side and back. But most importantly, the tornado of wind his body produces, clears the air around his son's nose, allowing him to breath freely.

After dozens of powerful hits, that knock chunk after chunk from the same spot on the stone creature's body, Spyro curls his arm and legs in, stopping his onslaught, but increasing the speed of his revolutions. At the apex of his last turn, he thrusts his tail out and puts every last bit of his strength into the whipping action. The impact is precise, hitting the same spot on his side, where he left a large crater.

The Dark Master shatters like glass, dropping the young dragon once secured in his now crumbling arms.

Spyro dizzy from twirling, and exhausted from his onslaught loses his balance upon touching the ground. However, his eyes catch Sparx' limp body falling, and he positions himself under the young dragon. Spyro wraps his son in his arms before hitting the ground, landing awkwardly on his broken wing.

The pain shoots through his body, but he doesn't let go of Sparx.

The black dragon begins fading back to his original color, feeling the great loss of energy from his attacks and the soreness of the beating he has taken. However, seeing the rock pieces of the shattered creature begin to move on their own again, his dark black scales begin to hold their color for a little longer. Spyro ignores the pain streaming through his body from his wing, and the complete lack of physical strength left in his muscles, because regardless of how much it hurts, he knows he has to keep going...he has to get Sparx away from this beast.

Spyro grasps his son in his front paws, rearing up on his hind legs, and running in the same movement. With haste in his stride, the black dragon heads towards the only shelter he can see...the more rugged terrain of the mountains in the distance. The jagged rocks pushed up where two continental plates have collided, should proved some cover for the exhausted father and his nearly unconscious son.

However, still standing at the epicenter of the explosion where Sparx used all of his energy to destroy a vast army, Spyro can see he has miles of flat terrain to traverse first. With every bit of strength he can coax from his burning muscles, the black and gold dragon runs as fast as possible to clear the large flat crater where he cannot hide.

Spyro holds his son in his left arm, cradled against his chest, allowing him to drop down on three legs and run faster. He uses his good left wing to compensate for his missing arm, thrusting it back in pace with his stride, picking up even more speed.

"Hold on Sparx!" His voice strains, hearing a constant moaning come from his son. Spyro has such a tight grip, not to let go, and will not loosen it at all.

Suddenly, Spyro can hear the stirring sounds of power coming from behind, but he does not turn to look, he keeps his focus forward,on the mountains ahead.

"Dad...LOOK OUT!" Sparx yelps from under his father's arm, his eyes focused behind at a bright ball of electricity bounding for them.

Spyro snaps his left wing down, to cover his son, pulling him hard in that direction. He falls to the ground, rolling with the momentum shift in his body. The plasma ball misses its moving target by inches, slamming to the ground in front of the two dragons.

The pulsing electricity from the powerful attack covers the ground around them with a positive charge, and Spyro cringes from the voltage surging into his paws, however, he bounds back up to a vertical stance and continues his race to the mountains.

Now staggering his strides to keep from running a straight line, Spyro gives the Dark Master an impossible target to hit...that and with the help of his son watching his back, Spyro dodges every blast of energy fired at him. He keeps his focus forward, never looking back, until a crackle of thunder that's so loud, startles him to turn his head.

Spyro's rotates his head left, looking under his wing quickly to find out first hand what the next attack will be, but eyes fill with surprise seeing nothing behind him, only the pulsing plasma balls that slammed the ground beside them as they fled. However, before he turns back to face the direction he is running, Spyro realizes what that loud crackling noise is all about.

Around his right side a flash of light fills Spyro's peripheral vision, and he snaps his muzzle forward to get a glimpse of what is passing him. It's a bolt of lightning.

His head stops abruptly and his heart skips a beat, with the sight that staggers his imagination. A wall of solid ice forms quickly as the rod of electricity hits the ground, and stands firm directly in front of Spyro's path. With no chance to stop in time, The black dragon turns his body to the left, and barrels through the barrier of ice with his right side.

Sparx hardly feels the slightest impact, as Spyro positions himself to take the full force, however, the whelpling knows something happened as the arm holding him fades back to its original purple color, then he hits the ground as his father falls unconscious.

"Dad!" The young dragon cries, still secured in his limp arm, and Spyro's eyes crack open with the sound of his voice, but then they close again.

"Wake up, Dad!" his son's voice echos once more, this time with fear and the sounds of a child's terror in his words.

Spyro's eyes snap open once more, and he looks down to his left arm. A smile forms on Sparx' tear-filled face, seeing his father snap out of it, and another pulse of adrenaline is sent through Spyro's body.

Seeing his son's grin, stands the purple dragon back on his feet, however as he turns to the mountains again, Spyro realizes they are no longer alone.

The young father brings his right arm around to hold his son with both paws, seeing the Dark Master standing only a few feet before him.

Spyro stares waist-level with the now ice giant, and cranes his head up to look at his foe.

"Well Spyro...I must say that you have an undying spirit, and never seem to know when to give up..." The Dark Master remarks, as he looks down at the first choice of Malefor's replacement.

"...I would have enjoyed breaking you!"

Suddenly the Dark Master thrusts his left hand out, wrapping it around Spyro's throat and squeezing.

The purple dragon struggles with his legs to break free, not letting go of Sparx. He will not release his son...and the Dark Master will have to pry him from his dead purple paws.

The Ice Giant lifts Spyro from the ground by his neck, holding him eye level, and Spyro's legs flail helplessly .

"However, that young whelpling you're holding, he is a far better choice..." he remarks, then raises his right hand to grasp Spyro's child. "...and would make a powerful Dark Master!"

The purple dragon swings his body away from the icy giant, jarring his neck, and wrapping his left wing around his son to secure him further. However, as his body swings back, the young father snaps his tail out across the Dark Master's face, breaking a small shard of ice from his left cheek.

It does nothing more than anger the Dark Master.

Enraged by this defiant act, the evil giant made of ice intensifies his grip around Spyro's throat, and the purple dragon is forced to stop his pointless assault. However, he holds his grip on Sparx, not letting up a muscle.

"You cannot hold your breath forever, Spyro...I remember!" The Dark Master taunts, reminding the young dragon of the first time they met in his home, and the moment he was force to breathe in the evil creature's magic.

"I could wait for you to just pass out, and just take him from you..." he remarks with a smile, then raises his right hand up in front of Spyro's fading eyes. The purple dragon watches as the Dark Master's icy hand reaches over his head, grasping the base of his left wing. "...but there is no fun in that!"

The Dark Master snaps Spyro's other wing, sending an intense pain throughout the purple dragon's body. He tries to scream with the agony, but cannot whisper a peep with the force around his throat.

Like his right wing, Spyro's appendage falls to his side limply, revealing the two-toned dragon secured in his weakening arms.

The Dark Master, again reaches out his right hand, this time grabbing the small dragon around his mid section. With great force, he yanks, but to no avail...Spyro still will not let go.

He pulls again, and the purple arms of Spyro hold fast, however the young dragon is beginning to separate away with ever forceful heave.

"This is what I was really hoping for Spyro..." The Dark Master says with a smile to the desperate father, feeling his grip fading fast, knowing that one or two more jerks of his hand and he will have his son. "...I wanted to see your face...when you realize that you lost!"

The Dark Master pulls again, and Spyro can feel his son yanked from his grasp. He quickly grips down on anything he can, catching his son's paw at the last moment.

"That's it Spyro...hold on...you can do it!" The Dark Master taunts sarcastically, watching the purple dragon's eyes lose their focus from lack of blood and oxygen to the brain.

He yanks Sparx once more, easily pulling him free of his father's limp paw.

"Look at it this way, Spyro..." The Dark Master continues coldly, then increases the pressure on Spyro's choke hold once more. "...at least you will not be alive to see your son become my slave..."

He yanks the unconscious dragon up to his mouth, using his voice to fill Spyro's last thoughts with unbelievable torment.

"...but I will make sure Cynder stays alive to revel in her son's glory...a life-long punishment for turning her back on me."

The Dark Master's evil laughter, and this new burning thought, consume Spyro, but he is helpless to do anything. His body is wiped out and has nothing left, not even an image of Cynder cowering to her son's power can spur the purple hero on. His arms fall limp to his side, and the yellow scale on the tip of his tail begins to shutter as the rest of Spyro's body shuts down.

Suddenly, an intense ball of fire screams from the sky, shearing off the Dark Master's left arm at the elbow. The unconscious purple dragon falls to the ground with the icy hand still around his throat, however the powerful choke hold no longer being applied.

Spyro is woken by the jarring force of his body hitting the ground, and the feel of oxygen filling his empty lungs. His eyes open slowly to see the Dark Master flail in pain, and suddenly release his son. His right hand grasping the sheared part of his left arm, and staring into the sky to see what has attacked him with such power.

Spyro notices the Dark Master's expression change as his narrow eyes lock upon his attacker.

"That's impossible!" The Dark Master barks with shock, and Spyro turns his head to see what has spooked this awesome foe.

The same shock fills his purple eyes seeing the image of a flying creature made completely of fire.

"_The Phoenix!"_ The Skylander General remarks to himself, knowing it has been years since this mythical bird of fire has fought for Gaven. _"I thought he disappeared!"_

However, Spyro is shocked even further, as a familiar voice comes from the flying inferno, but it is not the voice he was expecting.

"_Malefor!"_

"So...my old master, it appears you can defeat a weakened father, trying only to protect his son..." The dragon of fire remarks, landing between the Ice Giant and Spyro. "...maybe you should try fighting someone, who is ready and willing to fight back!"

The Dark Master begins to sweat, as Malefor steps forward, as the heat from the massive dragon melts the pure ice of his body. He backs cautiously from the walking inferno, shaped in a dancing silhouette of the large dragon's frame, and stares at Malefor's intense eyes.

"I am not backing away, because I am afraid..." The Dark Master barks, and looks down at the young dragon he is leaving behind. "...I simply do not want to damage my prize!"

The Ice Giant turns his head towards the mountains Spyro was charging for, and gestures his right arm in that direction.

"Maybe a safer location..." The Dark Master remarks, then looks at Spyro as his voice becomes very sarcastic. "...away from the **two** whelplings!"

Spyro becomes irate at his comment, but can do nothing about it, he's so exhausted that he can't even lower his brow to show anger.

The icy hand around Spyro's neck melts off, flowing unnaturally against gravity to the foot of the Dark Master. The water soaks into to large giant, allowing him to regrow his left arm, and he flexes it several time to make sure it works properly.

"Well then, Malefor..." The evil creature remarks. "...Shall we see if you have learned anything from the time I gave you in hell."

The Dark Master smiles as Malefor's flames begin to fluctuate with rage, and can see the anger etched upon his fiery muzzle. This is what he loves, what he craves, and what he feeds off of.

The Dark Master looks back down at the semi-conscious Spyro, and fills the appetite for his other craving...anguish.

"I will be back in a moment to finish you off, Spyro..." The Dark Master remarks, as his icy body changes, in a breath, to a turbulent swirling form of violent wind. He turns his eyes toward Sparx and continues with a deep taunting voice. "...so if you have any fatherly advice you want to give your son...I would share it now!"

The Dark Master laughs as Spyro's eyes fill with tears looking at his son, laying his head on the ground in defeat.

"Not like he would learn anything from such a weakling like yourself...I can't believe you ever defeated Malefor!"

His laughter increases in volume, and his windy form breaks down to a vast gust of violent air, racing towards the mountains in the distance.

With a dagger to his pride, Spyro closes his eyes, hoping just to die from his injuries, not wanting to be tortured with his son's life.

"_I can't do anything against him!"_ Spyro thinks to himself, his emotions filling his heart and his soul, knowing his best attack did nothing more than annoy the Dark Master. _"He is going to take my son!"_

His eyes look up at the stoic dragon made of fire, standing in defense of his former enemy, making sure the Dark Master retreats.

"How can I consider myself to be his father..." Spyro remarks to himself again, this time out loud, and Malefor snaps his head down to hear his sub-conscious rant. "...if I can't protect him!"

Spyro then focuses his attention up to large dragon made of fire, and tears pour from his eyes.

"You are the one that taught him...and the one that he looks up to as a Father..."

Both dragons stare at each other with an uncomfortable pause.

"...get him out of here, Malefor. I will cover your exit ..." Spyro remarks with pain in his heart, and the soreness in his body as he tries getting up on his feet. "...take care of him as you have, and I would be grateful."

Malefor's eyes open with shock, and the flames surrounding his body cease abruptly.

The purple dragon turns to Spyro and lowers his right paw down to help him up, but instead he grasps Spyro's sore neck and lifts him to his hind legs.

"HOW DID YOU DEFEAT ME!" Malefor barks in his face, startling the young dragon with the fear of his old foe's anger.

Malefor releases his throat, allowing Spyro to fall back to four paws, but places his paws upon his shoulders. The large dragon's grip keeps Spyro's attention focused on him, and also helps the exhausted father from falling over.

"You never quit then Spyro, and you're not quitting now!" He says with a more assuring tone in his voice.

Malefor peeks over his shoulder to make sure the Dark Master is continuing his journey, then looks back into Spyro's eyes with conviction. He delivers a pulse of energy through his paws into the purple hero's sides, and Spyro can feel the healing power of his magic and strength rise.

"You had help then from Cynder, and I am here to do what I can to help..." Malefor turns Spyro's head towards Sparx. "...but he is not my son, and I do not want that responsibility any longer."

Malefor pulls Spyro muzzle to muzzle.

"You are his father, you must take care of him...and you will, because you are who you are...A Purple Dragon." Malefor remarks with pride in his heritage. "And you will find you have more to give him then you know!"

Malefor's right brow raises inquisitively, and his voice becomes a bit taunting in its own way.

"However, you will also come to notice, that you will learn more from him then he will from you..." Malefor says, knowing the vast amount of knowledge Sparx learned from him in six years. "...but don't let that bother you...he had a good teacher!"

The purple dragon once again turns his head to the mountains, this time holding his gaze. He can see the Dark Master has stopped, and is becoming impatient.

"I must go Spyro..." He remarks still keeping his eyes focused on the evil creature in the distance. "...I will keep him busy for as long as I can, and I am sure that your friend Gaven will open a portal by that time."

The purple dragon turns back to look his new friend eye to eye as he continues, making sure Spyro can see his seriousness

"I will fight until I no longer can, and when I die...I ask you only one favor..." He remarks with a tear filling his left eye.

"Never tell your boy what a bastard I was to his mother...I know Cynder never said a thing, or he would not respect me the way he did."

Malefor thrusts his wings down and hovers several feet above both dragons, the tears in his eyes falling to the ground and splashing Spyro's paws.

"I want at least one dragon in this new age to think of the name Malefor with honor!"

Without another word, the purple and gold dragon heads off to a rematch he has waited millions of years for, but also knowing he will more than likely not survive. However, Malefor's heart beats strong with a great emotion, feeling his soul as clear as it ever has been.

"There are two, my friend..." Spyro remarks, watching Malefor charge up and shoot off to his own fate. "...and I will make sure that number increases greatly."

Spyro walks over to his son holding his shivering body tightly with his newly borrowed strength, another gift from an old foe. He pecks his son on the head, waiting for Gaven to open a portal back, watching Malefor intently.

"...your named will be honored...I promise!"


	18. Brother Vs Brother

Chapter 18 Brother Vs Brother

As he flaps his wings back hard to produce thrust, Malefor, heads quickly away from the only two dragons that respect him. A deep feeling of duty fills the purple dragon's heart, to protect them. With no hesitation in his flight, Malefor flies towards the tornado of wind spinning before him in the distance.

His pure white eyes locked upon the evil creature that ruined his life, and forced him to spend nearly an eternity thinking about what he did. Those thoughts now fill his head with the images of past friends and family...all of which were killed by his uncontrollable paws, and Malefor becomes overwhelmed with raw emotion.

Regret dominates his thoughts at first, knowing how many dragons were slaughtered over the past sixty generations, the time between Malefor and Spyro's births, and he turns that emotion to pure rage.

The scales of his body pulse with power, and turn black as Onyx with the amount of anger he is using to raise his energy. Malefor's gold chest and horns glow brighter from the contrast of his color to his body, and his eyes begin to change to a different color...that of his long great heritage.

The Dark Master sees him coming, breaking down to a strong gust of wind, and jetting towards the mountains that Spyro was heading for. With hurricane force, the turbulent flow of air steams away, but Malefor keeps pace, staring down the front edge of this wind storm, knowing exactly where the Dark Master's heart is at all times.

A very smug grin crosses his muzzle, feeling this energy from his foe, and now realizing he is not as outmatched as he once was. The Dark Master is only slightly stronger then he was two thousand years ago, when a powerful evil came to Avalar, and challenged its Ruler.

Malefor, however, has had four million years to get stronger, and understand the true limit of his powers. Because of the curse of immortality, and an imprisonment where time moved insanely fast, the black dragon has had plenty of history to reflect upon.

As they approach the mountains, two vague images consume Malefor's thoughts. Their faces becoming clearer as he gets closer to his destination, drawing upon their love as an emotion to build his anger up further.

A beautiful blue dragoness that shared his life in the beginning, and a small white German Shepard-like dog that brought light to his darkest time.

"_I will have my wives' revenge!"_ He barks to himself, building more rage inside to strengthen his power. _"Both of them!"_

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, under his father's chest, the young eyes of Sparx watch helplessly, as his former father leaves in a hurry.<p>

"Malefor!" His raspy voice barks, weakened from the assault he made moments ago, leaving him completely drained of power.

Spyro holds his son down, feeling the young dragon trying to pull himself from under his grip. The purple dragon can feel some strength coming back to his boy, but still Sparx cannot move far from his arms.

"NO.." He yelps in his son's ear, increasing the strength of his hold. "...he does not want you near him Sparx...and neither do I!"

"But Dad...he'll die if we don't help him!" The youngster replies, digging his claws into the rocky surface, trying to pry his way out of Spyro's tight grasp.

"Please...you need to stay with me Sparx..." Spyro remarks with worry, holding him now as tight as he can, feeling his incredible strength return with every pull.

"...that is what your father wanted!"

The two-toned dragon stops his escape abruptly, and snaps his head around to look his _Dad_ in the eye.

He is tired of hearing Spyro speak of Malefor as his father, and now believes this to be an insult, but before he can say a word, the purple dragon's paw grasps his muzzle, keeping him quiet.

"To protect his son with his life...It is what any father would be willing to do..." Spyro remarks, and releases his hold, then looks him dead in the eye. "...even if that child is not really their own."

Spyro holds his son tighter raising his body up to his muzzle, and whispering in his ear.

"I know from experience..." Spyro remarks, focusing his eyes upon the large black dragon, getting smaller as he flies further away. "...because my Father did the same for me."

A huge smile forms on Spyro's face recalling one such instance in his life, where his father actually rescued him from an attempted kidnapping.

Drugged by a supposed friend only to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, the purple dragon found himself helpless against such trechery, and by the time Spyro regained consciousness, he was already muzzled and restrained by a much larger dragon.

"For a dragonfly..." He says with a chuckle of laughter, remembering an ineffective punch that came from his adoptive father. And though it did nothing to hurt the full-size dragon holding his son, it was enough to startle him to the point that he loosened his grip.

The auction ended quickly after that.

"...it must have been tough to pick some of the fights he did." Spyro says, hoisting his son up, and placing him upon his back.

Sparx cringes when his paw brushes against his father's broken left wing, raising it up quickly as he can see the sudden shutter of pain from his father. His eyes glaze over at the sight of his father's wings, snapped like twigs and dangling against his side. The young dragon cannot fathom the pain Spyro must be feeling, but is even more surprised at the smile still upon his muzzle.

"My father never backed down from anything..." The young dragon remarks to his son, without a single hint of pain in his words. Feeling only the pride for his old man.

"...and now Malefor is doing the same, for his boy."

Spyro cranes his head around to look his boy dead in the eyes.

"He may not be bound to you by blood..." The purple dragon tells his son with a determined voice. "...but he is bound to you by love, that I am sure..."

Spyro lowers his head, picturing the large dragonfly that taught him so much in life, making him the man he is today.

"...an undying love for a son that he knew was not his own..." Spyro says somberly, then returns his eyes to his young offspring lying upon his back. "...and that makes him more of a father than you realize."

Spyro turns towards the center of the large crater his son made, and begins trotting gingerly, not to step on his wings. His son holds tight around his neck, looking back as Malefor disappears from sight into the mountains.

Sparx becomes heartbroken in that instant, but holds his emotions. He does not want to show this great feeling of loss to his father. However, Spyro can hear the whimper of sadness in his breathing, and can feel his depression sink in further.

"It's OK Sparx...I understand your feelings, and you need to let them out!" Spyro remarks picking up his pace to a fast gallop, trying to get his son as far away as possible.

The young dragon grasps his father's neck tighter, not to hold on, but for his support as he breaks down crying.

"I love him Dad...I'm sorry..." Sparx wails in Spyro's ear "...I don't want him to die!"

The purple dragon stops short, hearing his pain, and grasps his son from his back. Spyro rears up on his hind legs to hug him tightly in his arms. Tears pour from his eyes, feeling Sparx shaking so hard that he cannot stop it.

"I know, Sparx..." Spyro says softly in his ear, trying to comfort his unsettled boy "...I don't want him to die either..."

Spyro then holds his son out in front of his face, looking the young dragon squarely in the eye.

"...but he knows what he's doing...I'm sure of that now, and he will stop at nothing to keep the Dark Master from taking you."

Spyro returns his son to his back, and lowers down to four paws.

"So if I don't get you out of here...then everything Malefor did will be forgotten, and he will die in vain..." The young father remarks, beginning his journey again to the center of the crater. "...I know I can't defeat such power...and would not survive long!"

Spyro picks up his pace with this terrible thought, and his voice deepens with anger knowing how outclassed he is.

"You would become his slave, and the Dragon Realms would plunge into darkness once more!" Spyro barks. "This is the one thing he made me swear not to let happen, and I tend to agree with him."

Sparx holds his father's neck tighter, understanding the logic in his words. He looks back over his shoulder to the mountains, and closes his eyes with the image of a one time evil dragon, turned hero.

"Goodbye Malefor..." Sparx whispers "...I will always remember what you did for my mother and myself..."

The two-toned whelpling returns his eyes forward, resting his head against Spyro's bobbing neck.

"...and hope you have forgiven me for the incredible pain I caused you!"

Spyro eyes glisten as well, hearing the heart-felt words from his son. The purple dragon again picks up his speed, now feeling just as obligated to go back and help, however, Spyro does not stop his charge...he knows he cannot go back.

Powerful blasts coming from the mountains, fill the darkened skies with a bright light, and Spyro keeps moving away. The thunderous sounds of the fierce battle echo across the land, shaking the ground with each blow, and Spyro keeps running.

He continues to run, until reaching the dead center of the crater, and the spot in which Sparx arrived back from the portal station, exactly where the new portal should open.

Turning around, with his son still standing on his shoulders, both dragons look back at the mountains miles in the distance. Their purple eyes glowing with the flashes of energy being used in this awesome battle.

"Come on Gaven...Hurry up!" Spyro remarks, feeling the intense power from so far away, and for the first time as a Skylander...feeling genuine fear on the battlefield. "Open the damn portal already!"

"Easy Dad..." The young dragon remarks with a sudden confidence now, as he is finally able to sense the incredible power of his adoptive father. He can also feel the energy returning to his body bit by bit, and becomes more confident as his strength returns too. "...I think we have some time, now." Sparx says matter of factually.

The young dragon drops from his father's back, looking in the direction of the battle. "Malefor is still really strong...I can feel that now, Dad...it's intense."

The young dragon places his head against his father's side. He can hear the pounding of his heart, and can tell Spyro is very anxious.

"You need to calm down..." The young dragon remarks "...Gaven was sure he could open a portal with the help of some friend he knows, and besides...

Sparx pulls his head away from his dad's side, looking up to the worried dragon.

"...I am not without power anymore!"

Spyro turns his head down to him as shock fills his expression.

"It's a technique that Malefor showed me..." He says with a smile, looking into his father's wide eyes. "...regeneration!"

"I can regenerate too, Sparx..." Spyro retorts with some pride in his own faculties, but more so, feeling his son's energy increasing. "...but you'll need more magic for that."

The young father smiles, then places his paw upon Sparx' back to transfer some of the magic Malefor gave him. However, before an ounce of energy is sent to his son, Sparx slaps his father's paw from his body.

"No Dad...you should keep that for yourself..." The youngster quips with an arrogant smile. "...I can regenerate my magic as well!"

Spyro does a double take, than looks at Sparx with disbelief, as his body begins to glow a greenish color with the magic energy he is raising.

"That's impossible..." Spyro says with uncertainty, his eyes not believing what they see. "...how can you do that!"

Sparx can see the look of pure disbelief in his father's eyes, but also pride at what he is doing.

"Believe it or not Dad, it's quite easy..." The young dragon remarks, striding without a limp towards the mountains in the distance. "...when you have a teacher that has such a vast knowledge of our heritage, you find out a lot of things you can do that are considered impossible."

Suddenly, the young dragon begins recalling his youth, and the many reasons he had to learn such things. He turns his head back towards his father, and his eyes show anguish, more than any eight year old dragon should have ever seen. His voice becomes soft and somber

"When you lived day in and day out with relentless attacks...you're forced to do the impossible."

Sparx turns his head back to the mountains were the battle continues to rage, watching in awe with his father, the power that Malefor is using.

"He's been waiting for this fight Dad...for nearly an eternity he told me." Sparx remarks with a bit of fear in his words. "...hoping to get his chance at the Dark Master again, and has built his strength up higher than I've ever felt..."

Sparx walks back to his father, looking dead into his eyes.

"...but, there is no need for him to do the impossible anymore. I think we should go back and help him, Dad."

Spyro lowers his head with a terrifying feeling of fear, that he's not felt so strong before in his life. The purple dragon, never before having a son by his side in battle, is overwhelmed with a single thought

"_STAY PUT"_

"NO..." Spyro barks, placing his paw upon his son's head, and pulling him against his chest. "...I'm not going back..."

His grip becomes tighter, holding his son nearly to the point of suffocation. Lowering his head down to the young dragon's ear, and making sure his point is heard.

"...and neither are you...do you understand me!"

Spyro relaxes his grip slightly, allowing Sparx to look up into his father's shaky eyes. He slowly nods his head in acknowledgment, than buries his muzzle back into Spyro's embrace. The purple dragon can feel his son becoming upset, and quickly feels ashamed of what he believes is fear.

"I'm sorry Sparx..." The young dragon says to his son, pulling him from his chest, and lowering down to his eye level. "...I don't mean to sound like that...but..."

Spyro pauses, closes his eyes with the pain of his embarrassment, and shamefully continues.

"...I'm afraid!"

The young father's head lowers further to the ground, and he can barely talk with the amount of guilt consuming him.

"I feel so helpless..." He remarks quietly "...I cannot protect my own son, and I'm forcing him to stand with his **coward **of a father...while his real..."

Spyro pauses again. He opens his eyes, focusing on the young dragon to show the depression within him, but does he not refer to Malefor as Sparx' father again.

"...while HE...fights alone..."

The great hero of Avalar turns his head, so he no longer has to look into his son's eyes.

"...I am ashamed of myself."

Spyro stands up and walks several feet away to be alone. However, the sound of small footsteps and touch of his son's wing against his side is quick, so too are his words to try comforting him.

"You're not being a coward, Dad..." The young dragon retorts with assurance in his voice, then rests his head against Spyro's side. "...you're just trying to keep me safe...and that is exactly what Malefor would do if he were here."

The young dragon stands up, moving around to face Spyro.

"That is not being a coward at all." He says sternly. "That is the responsibility of being a father!"

Spyro shows no reaction to what his son has to say, and Sparx lowers his head with a grunt of anger.

"COWARDS RUN AWAY!" He barks with aggression, staring back into his father's startled eyes. "They don't fight an impossible battle for anyone, not even themselves, and that is what I saw when **you** attacked the Dark Master!"

Sparx steps forward, resting his muzzle against Spyro's cheek, and stretching his paw around to the back of his Dad's neck to hold him tightly.

"You didn't run..." He whispers in his ear. "...that is what makes you my father, and why I will stay here with you."

Sparx draws his head back, and gazes deep into Spyro's eyes.

"I will never leave your side!"

The pride wells up inside Spyro, and he rises up on his hind legs, holding his son tightly in his arms. The power of Sparx' words give strength to the purple dragon, and his heart begins to pound in rhythm with his son's.

"I love you Sparx!"

* * *

><p>Above the peaks of the mountains, Malefor hovers with a continuous gentle flap of his wings. His muzzle open wide and glowing with the remnants of energy that has pulsed non-stop until now. His eyes focused squarely upon his foe with frustration, as not a single blast has hit its target.<p>

"Really, Malefor..." The Dark Master barks, stopping his frantic dodging of elemental attacks. "...I thought you were going to be more of a challenge the way you were talking back there!"

The Dark Master turns his back to the black and gold dragon, then lowers to the ground by a group of large mountains. This lack of respect smacks his former servant in the face, and Malefor becomes angered.

"How about if I give you a free shot." He taunts with a smile, placing himself at the base of a horse-shoe shaped canyon. His eyes look left and right at the high cliffs that surround him

"I can't get out of the way now..." He continues with such arrogance, that Malefor becomes enraged even further "...so hit me with your best shot!"

With the anger built from frustration, and the raw emotions of a lover's revenge, Malefor builds up a tremendous amount of his power, and focuses it into one huge blast.

A pulsing ball of pure purple energy is hurled at the Dark Master, and he smiles as it approaches.

"STUPID DRAGON!" He barks with laughter, and a portal opens behind him. Malefor watches as the Dark Master vanishes in an instant, and his energy ball slams to the emptied ground.

He lifts his left paw to shield his eyes from the vast explosion, staying alert for the Dark Master's reemergence. However his attention is taken by a dark purple glow of light coming from the crumbling rock.

"BY THE ANCESTORS!" He yelps to himself with great fear, seeing the millions of dark crystals now exposed by the collapsing mountains.

"What's the matter..." The Dark Master says from behind Malefor, startling the large dragon, and filling his heart with a great depression. He dropped his guard for a split-second again.

"...I thought dragons like crystals!"

Before he can regret the same mistake he has relived for four million years, Malefor is slammed in the back with a vicious blow, and catapulted into the avalanche of rock and purple gemstones.

* * *

><p>A tremendous explosion from the mountains startles Spyro and Sparx, turning both of their heads, and filling their teary eyes with a flash of bright light. A massive blast of power is soon felt, and they watch in awe as several of the rocky peaks collapse down to ground level.<p>

"WOW!" Sparx replies with fascinated shock, feeling that power had come from Malefor. A slight smile crossing his face knowing his former guardian is not holding back, and he looks at his father proudly.

However, his joy quickly turns to fear in the next moment.

"Oh no!" He remarks, and drops down from his father's arms, slowing striding towards the battle miles away.

"What is it Sparx?" Spyro retorts, seeing the sudden change in Sparx emotions, and keeping pace with his son's walk. "What happened?"

"Malefor's magic power is dropping fast, and I don't know why!" Sparx replies, looking back at his father with great concern. "The Dark Master is not doing anything to attack him...so I don't understand!"

Spyro looks puzzled for a moment, thinking about what can take power from a dragon so fast, but then his eye open with a deep fear.

"We need to get out of here, Now!" Spyro remarks with a deep note of terror in his voice.

"What is it Dad?" The young dragon asks, seeing his father's eyes open with a realization of the only thing that can drop a dragon's power to nil.

However, before Spyro can answer his son, the sound of a loud thump startles them both.

"MALEFOR!" Sparx yelps, seeing his unconscious body bounce on the rocky surface. He runs towards the large dragon without care of why or how he got there, but only to see if he is alive. His one-sighted view does not allow him to see a figure above sending something else towards the ground.

However, Sparx finally notices, when several small objects land directly in his path, and shatter like glass. His eyes open wide with the site of a different colored ancestral crystal, and one of his purple heritage at that. Like the cluster of green gems that he used in Malefor's cave, and the only crystals the young dragon has ever seen, these bits of purple energy swarm the young dragon.

He does nothing to avoid them, believing they will bring great power like the green ones, but only shock fills his body as the purple gems take him to the ground unsuspectingly.

"_What is going on!"_ He thinks to himself, as his legs give out from a quick lack of energy. He cannot understand how a crystal that is the color of his body, can be so devastating to him. The young dragon remains on the ground, his head spinning, like Malefor's, from a tremendous drop of power.

Spyro on the other hand has seen these crystals before, and where they just came from. His heart jumps up to his throat, looking upon The Dark Master high in the sky, with one more crystal in his left hand, tossing it up and down for him to see.

"Well Spyro...I want to thank you and Cynder for making such a perfect receptacle for my power..." His voice booms from above with arrogance, making all three aware of his presence.

"...I want you to know, I will take care of him like he was my own."

Spyro's anger fills his soul, and a surge of power pulses through his body.

The Dark Master flings the last crystal in his hand at the purple dragon, but Spyro leaps far enough away, rolling painfully across the ground, but avoiding the scattering pieces. The evil master, once again in his windy form, becomes angry at Spyro's defiance, however, a quick smile fills his face watching the purple dragon struggle to his feet.

"You could have just taken your medicine Spyro, and felt nothing as you died..." The Dark Master taunts from high in the sky. "...but now I think I will just have some fun with you first!"

Still unable to fly with his broken wings, the young father becomes target practice for the Dark Master's amusement. The purple dragon dodges multiple blasts of elemental attacks, each time narrowly escaping with his life. Spyro's landings become less and less graceful, being blown over by the blast that get more and more powerful, causing him extreme pain to his damaged wings as he tumbles. He can hear the laughter of his foe getting further away, and that is when the young father realizes what the Dark Master's is doing...moving him away. However, he is helpless to do much of anything but comply, as the evil master continues to pepper the ground with powerful attacks.

Suddenly, the powerful giant returns to his stone form, and falls to the ground next to Sparx. The impact causes a ripple-effect across the solid surface, creating a large crevasse between father and son. Spyro looks back across the large chasm at Sparx with pure fear, knowing there is no way he can make that far of a jump without gliding.

The Dark Master reaches down and grasps Sparx by the right horn, lifting him high for his father to see. The young dragon catches a quick glimpse of his father's terrified eyes, before the Dark Master's other hand covers his face. The stone giant releases his horn and places that arm back around the young dragon's mid-section, holding him securely to his chest.

"You belong to me now!" He whispers in his ear, and a cloud of dark mist begins to envelop Sparx' muzzle.

A stinging sensation fills his mouth and nose, as he tries to scream for help, reminding him of the sensation he felt only seconds ago, when his body was shut down by the crystals. Sparx closes his muzzle tight, and holds his breath.

"He's just like you Spyro..." The Dark Master taunts the pacing father, looking for a way to get back to his son. "...he doesn't know when to quit!"

The Dark Master smiles at Spyro's anger, and continues to enrage him further.

"I thought he would give in like Malefor..." He remarks with pure smugness, knowing Spyro can do nothing from where he is. "...considering he raised him!"

The purple dragon focuses his eyes back to his son's captor, and his blood begins to boil. However, his mind is made up to do something, when the Dark Master tightens his grip on Sparx. The yelp of pure pain from his son, drives a father to try the unthinkable.

The purple dragon turns his back and walks several paces away, then returns his gaze back to his enemy. In three strides, Spyro is at his full speed, approaching the large gap, and makes the desperate leap. His broken wings flap painfully behind, and he knows he cannot spread them out to glide. In less then a second, Spyro feels an incredible pain begin shooting through his heart realizing...he is not going to make this jump.

As Spyro drops deep into the canyon, his death from this fall is not what fills his soul with anguish. It is the thought of his son being lost to this evil monster's rule, that makes him wish gravity would work faster. He closes his eyes, and waits for the inevitable end of his life in a dark hole. The perfect place, he feels, for his final resting place.

A sudden impact to his chest startles his heart, feeling the end has come, but he is completely shocked to realize it was not as painful as he thought it would be. Spyro opens his eyes again, and they fill with a glow of pure light. A swirl of energy in the form of an arm is holding him around his chest, and a voice, that is comforting the moment he hears it, fills his ears.

"GOTCHA!" The Guardian of the Universe barks, as he holds Spyro twenty feet from the ground.

From above, the Dark Master laughs as Spyro drops to his doom, and feels a complete confidence in his victory.

However, a bright flash of light from below, and the sudden grip upon his arm, lets the Dark Master know this fight is not over.

"Hello Brother!" A very familiar voice remarks from his left, and the Dark Master's eyes open with shock, focusing his attention upon the swirling energy hand that has grabbed his arm.

The Stone giant turns his head slowly, and is surprised by the sight of his brother, the Guardian of the Universe, holding Spyro across his shoulder.

"I think you dropped this..." He says with a slight bit of sarcasm, then pulls the Dark Master's hand easily from Sparx' muzzle.

With one quick move, the energy giant then twists his body, slamming his stone brother in the back with a powerful spin kick. The Dark Master breaks at the point of impact, crumbling to the ground in a pile.

"You dropped this too!" He remarks with more sarcasm, picking the younger dragon up from the heap of broken stone.

The Guardian walks over to Malefor, still lying semi-conscious from the overwhelming drop of his magic power, and places both Spyro and Sparx down next to him.

"Gaven will have the portal open soon, and all three of you must leave at that moment..." He remarks to the Skylander General, then turns his attention to the pile of stone. "...I will take care of my Brother!"

Spyro looks at him with a vast amount of confusion.

"YOUR WHAT!" He barks with shock. "But I thought Gaven was your brother!"

The Guardian turns to Spyro with a slight smirk on his bright face, hearing the genuine doubt in his words, but happy knowing everyone accepts Gaven as his sibling. However, that smirk goes away quick as Spyro's brow drops across the top of his eyes.

"He can't be your brother!" The Skylander General remarks with a slightly angered tone, not believing what he heard.

"He doesn't see the family resemblance..." The Dark Master retorts with sarcasm, as his body once again pieces itself back together. "...and to think I was really going to take such a dumb dragon as my servant."

The Dark Master reassembles his entire frame, then once again changes his form. Like his brother, The Dark Master's body begins to swirl with energy in a pure form, but unlike his brother, the spectrum of color is dark and flowing turbulently.

"Well Thomas..." The Dark Master says nonchalantly, striding up to his brother without a care in the world. "...what brings you to my humble home...are you going to try to stop me again!"

His hawk-like eyes focus down upon the three lame dragons before them.

"I know you are not here to protect these puny things..." He says to his brother, staring into Spyro's purple eyes, but then snaps his attention to the Guardian. "...so why are you here?"

Thomas looks into his brother's stern eyes, and can see he genuinely wants an answer, but he does not say a word feeling extremely guilty.

The Dark Master, knowing him his entire life, can see the anguish in his brother's eyes, and forces an answer to his question by digging deeper.

"You wouldn't dirty your hands two thousand years ago, when I laid siege to Avalar, so what has **changed**?" He asks with anger.

Thomas lowers his head with the regret of his past, and the knowledge that he could have avoided this many years ago, just by disputing his brother's claim on the Dragon Realms.

A deal he made long ago with his power greedy brother, not to fight. A deal that kept him from hurting the only family he has, and a deal that cost the lives of many inhabitants of Avalar, be they dragon, mole, or cheetah.

It is a deal he has made too many times in their long past, and one he no longer wishes to make.

Thomas' eyes lock on Spyro's, and he can see the true confussion and anguish inside the purple dragon, the Guardian's heart begins to pound in his chest.

_"I will not let this happen again!"_ He says to himself, building up rage, then turns his angered eyes upon his brother.

"**I** have **changed**...Gerald!"

* * *

><p><strong>Well now...did anyone see that coming.<strong>

**Please let me know if you're enjoying...haven't heard anything from you guys this year...and this has been my best month for views. **


	19. Two Great Brothers make their Decision

**OK, I know this is a short chapter, and probably should have been placed at the end of Chapter 18, but I didn't...so sue me.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 19 Two Great Brothers make their Decision<p>

Inside the under ground portal station, Gaven paces back and forth with a troubled look upon his face. The monitors at his work station show the incredible surge of energy being produced from the distant red planet. However, with a powerful shield around this rock produced by the Dark Master, Gaven is still blind to the true nature of what is going on.

"_Why is he doing this now!"_ Gaven remarks to himself. A deep feeling of regret filling his eyes, knowing this was a decision his brother would have to face one day, but also hoping that day would not be today.

He turns his head from the display of his control panel, to the four dragons in the Main room with him.

Volteer, still charging the portal platform with his magic, fills Gaven's heart with hope that may be able to intervene. Even if it is only for a moment to gaze upon his brother's pure energy one last time.

Cyril and Terridor are standing to his left, staring speechless at their former friend, now colored blue, and wondering how he is here. The three Guardian dragons had no clue about Ignitus' promotion, and it is not habit for the Chronicler to just introduce himself to all, so the former Fire Guardian has the same awkward look on his features.

However, Ignitus' focus is still on his ancient friend, the one whom he has known for several lifetimes, and the one that has just told him he was going to do something he MUST. The Guardian of Time becomes immersed in his thoughts, to the point he forgets what is in his paw. Ignitus still holding a small book tightly in his grasp, looks at the old master, and can feel his anguish.

"I don't know what he plans to do Gaven..." The old dragon remarks with his eyes locked firmly on the Portal Master. "...he was very serious, and I could see the concern on his face."

Gaven lowers his head, but suddenly the book takes the focus of the Portal Master. It's binding has stopped pulsing with dark energy, and slowly returns to its normal color.

"Would you look at that!" Gaven remarks, knowing exactly what happened already, and pointing at it with a smile.

The Chronicler looks at his friend a bit puzzled, then down at his paw. Shock fill his eyes as he looks down at the book in his left paw and it is once again showing its true color, that of his mother and father combined.

"What is going on!" The Chronicler quips, now opening to the back pages of the magical book. His eyes fill with the scene of three dragons being kept from a terrible fate, but their future is still unsure.

"I knew he wouldn't let this happen again..." Gaven says softly, then looks at the ground with a great feeling of loss. "Thomas is going to kill his brother, Ignitus. He is going to right a wrong that has bothered him for thousands of years."

"HIS BROTHER!" The Chronicler yelps, his eyes opening wide with shock.

The old dragon of time has known the Portal Master and Thomas for centuries, also that they were not really brothers. However, they were just as inseparable as Spyro and a little dragonfly that he proudly called his own blood. He also knew that The Guardian of the Universe and the Dark Master were from the same race...a powerful race of energy creatures, scattered throughout the galaxies long ago after a devastating Civil War. But this new revelation hits the Chronicler hard, for he also knows that Thomas had told him of his very dark past, and a battle that ruined their lives. A fight that he started against his younger brother.

"By the Ancestors..." Ignitus remarks, looking down at the last pages of Sparx' book, and seeing the tremendous amount of energy the young dragon is feeling this very moment.

"...he is going to kill himself!"

"I know..." Gaven remarks with a deep depression, then looks back at his old dragon friend. "...and if we don't open that portal soon...Spyro, Sparx, and even Malefor will die along with him."

Again the Chronicler's eyes open wide with great fear, he turns his head to the yellow and blue dragon that he has called friend for decades.

"Volteer, you must hurry!" Ignitus yelps, and the Electric Guardian can hear the anxiety in his voice.

With no regard for his body, Volteer pumps up the power once more, and covers a vast range of different amperage to find the perfect harmonic balance with the energy shield. A small flicker of energy sputters before the four dragons and the Portal Master, but then quickly fades away.

The master of electricity sees this, and the precise power at which it happened. A smug grin crosses his muzzle, and he pulls up every last bit of power he can muster, focusing it at the same wavelength he felt before. Quickly the portal comes to life, and holds stable with Volteer's charge.

All five stare at the hole in space and see nothing, just several flashes that fill the Main Room with a blinding light .

"Where are they?" Gaven remarks to Ignitus, not able to see any of the three purple dragons or the Dark Master and his brother. The old giant elf-like man walks over to the flashing oval of energy, and his eyes open wide with surprise.

* * *

><p>Standing upon the ground by his son and an earlier predecessor of his line, Spyro, stares at the two giants of pure energy. As the only one with strength left in his body, the purple dragon keeps himself between his injured son and the posturing twins.<p>

His indigo eyes fill with the pure power of both energy creatures, and a deep fear fills his heart overhearing a conversation that he did not expect.

"Why not join me this time brother..." The Dark Master remarks to the Guardian, his eyes look over at Spyro as he continues his plea. "...I will not take another worthless soul as long as we live...for WE will not have too."

"I cannot betray my friends like that, Gerald..." The Guardian of pure light replies, his eyes showing great indifference. "...but I can no longer ignore my brother."

The Dark Master smiles, hearing the indecision in his words. He lays his hand upon his brother's shoulder, and returns his narrow pupils to his kin.

"...You and I could rule this galaxy with a gentle hand..." He says with confidence that his brother will finally stop fighting and join with him. "...but a powerful one as well!"

Thomas can hear the anger in his brother's voice, and knows that there is nothing gentle about his past, he looks up at Gerald with rage, but holds his tongue not to express that anger

"You have never been one to show a gentle side, brother..." The Guardian remarks and looks at Spyro once more. "...and these poor dragons have been forced to suffer for my unwillingness to stop you..."

With deep regret, Thomas stares his brother Gerald in the eye.

"...perhaps together I can control some of this rage you carry."

The Guardian once again lowers his head in defeat, and continues with great sorrow in is voice.

"I will join with you, brother."

Spyro's eyes open wide, hearing the Guardian's words, and a deep depression sinks into his heart. The purple dragon cannot believe what he has heard, and becomes even more worried as the Dark Master walks up to the Guardian with no fear in his step.

The Dark Energy Giant places his hand upon his brother's shoulder, and a wide smile crosses his face.

"No one would be able to stop us, Thomas..." He remarks with great pride in his siblings choice. "...not even the Skylanders and that 'so-called' brother of yours!"

Thomas closes his eyes with anger, so not to show the Dark Master the rage building inside him is overwhelming. He keeps it bottled up for the moment.

Suddenly, the sound he was waiting for chimes in his ears, and his heart. The sound he has been hoping would come, for he was getting tired of bluffing. It is the sound that allows him to release his plan and his frustration.

It is the sound of a portal opening.

A smile fills his face before he opens his eyes, and the Dark Master can feel his brother's emotions flip.

"My so-called brother has found you a way home Spyro..." The Guardian remarks as his eyes open wide. With great rage, Thomas' narrow-pupils focus upon his evil brother, and he thrusts his right hand into the Dark Master's unsuspecting face. The evil giant is rocked by the impact and falls flat on his butt with total surprise.

The Guardian of the Universe turns his head towards the purple dragon with a stern look.

"...I would suggest that you leave right now!"

Without another word, Thomas leaps at his brother, still sitting on his duff, thrusting his knee forward at the last moment. The powerful strike connects with great force, sending the Dark Master skidding on his backside.

The younger brother slams into a small pillar of rock that jutted up from the earlier earthquake he created, glaring back at his sibling, holding his jaw in pain.

"So you chose to fight me..." The Dark Master remarks with anger. "...it will not make a difference, brother...I will not be denied my destiny!"

The Dark Master rises to his feet, bolting towards his kin with aggression. His fist cocked back ready to fire, and his eyes locked upon the Guardian's jaw.

"I'm sorry to say..." Thomas remarks nonchalantly, as he easily catches his brother's punch in his left hand. "...you destiny will end here, my brother!"

The Guardian wraps his right hand around The Dark Master's neck and squeezes tightly. Gasps of air come from the evil giant feeling the full force of his older brother's rage, and the anger he has carried for generations.

"You have destroyed everything that we Azerians believed in..." Thomas says with great regret, remembering a race of powerful but humble beings that once ruled with kindness. "...and now that we are all that is left..."

His eyes fill with tears, still seeing his brother and one time best friend in the narrow pupils of the Dark Master.

"...I'm sorry that I must be the one that ends our pain and disgrace!"

Suddenly the Guardian returns his focus back to Spyro, and anger fills his eyes.

"**Why are you still here**!" He barks with such rage that Spyro jumps a few inches off the ground. The purple dragon's eyes have wandered about looking for the way home as he said, but not a portal is in sight.

"Where is it?" Spyro shouts with pure anxiety, not wanting to annoy someone who is manhandling the Dark Master like this.

Thomas himself becomes fluxed for a moment, he also cannot see the portal, but he knows he heard it open. For a brief moment the Guardian feels he made a strategic mistake, and is now going to kill the three innocent dragons he was trying to protect. However, a glimmer high in the air catches his eye, and Thomas smiles at the purple dragon, not realizing Spyro's handicap.

"Look up!" The Guardian replies, but then is forced to refocus his attention to his brother. The energy giant can feel the power of the Dark Master rise slightly and will not give him a chance to break free.

The purple dragon watches in shock as The Guardian begins to pulse with a great energy, and slowly starts to envelop his counter part.

"GO NOW!" Barks a distorted voice that shoots down Spyro's back, and quickly he snaps out of his trance of awe.

The purple dragon looks up into the dark sky as instructed, and his heart sinks into his stomach. The portal is open, but it is nearly a hundred feet off the ground, or the same depth as the crater his son created.

"_What am I gonna do!" _ He says to himself, looking at Sparx and Malefor laying wasted upon the ground. _"I can't get myself up there...let alone an extra five tons!"_

Spyro turns back to the Guardian, but can see he is not going to get help from him any longer. The energy giant has completely covered his brother, and is continuing to increase his power.

The purple hero knows now what Thomas' plan is, and quickly becomes worried. He can tell nothing, not even the planet, will survive the tremendous amount of power the Guardian is building up.

In a split-second Spyro reviews his choices

One: _"Stay here and die"_ but that thought is quickly dismissed.

Two, and the one he thinks about the most: _"Give your energy to Sparx, and let him save himself!"_ A thought he mulls over deeply, and one he knows will not be successful. He knows that as much as he yells at his son to leave he and Malefor behind, the stubborn dragon will probably die trying to rescue his fathers, and impossible task for a dragon his size.

Thought three hits the young father at the last moment, and he quickly grabs Malefor by his chest and neck, holding him muzzle to muzzle.

"You have to get us out of here now!" Spyro barks at the semi-conscious dragon, and his faded purple eyes fill with regret.

"How can I do that..." His voice struggling and broken. "..I barely have the strength to breath."

Suddenly, a jolt of energy hits Malefor in the chest, right where Spyro's paw is placed, and his eyes open with the transfer of power.

"I hope you don't mind me...giving back your gift..." The purple dragon's voice trails off as he passes out, and Malefor grasps Spyro's body as it falls over limply.

Malefor stands up on his hind paws, tossing Spyro over his shoulder, between his wings, then gently picks up Sparx with his front paws. He spreads out his large wings, and turns towards the two energy creatures overloading with great power.

"I'm sorry Malefor..." comes a voice from the carnage. "...I should have never let it go this long!"

The large dragon shows confusion at this apology, but does not stick around to wonder about it. With a strong leap from his hind legs, and a vicious thrust of his wings, Malefor is off the ground and heading straight up to the portal. As he gets closer, his eyes focus upon Gaven and Ignitus standing on the other side of the swirling energy oval, and a strange calmness begins to fill his heart. He is no longer afraid to go back, in fact he cannot wait to be thrown in the brig, as long as it is no where near this explosion that is going to happen in a matter of seconds.

Suddenly, a pulse of energy fills the sky with light, and his heart begins to pound faster, this blinding flash lets Malefor know time has run out.

With a powerful shock-wave approaching, the massive dragon points himself at the portal, snaps his wings back hard, and barrel-rolls his body to produce more speed. The leading edge of the wave beings to singe his rear paws with excessive heat, as Malefor's muzzle hits the portal. The purple dragon and his cargo pass through the spacial rift, and back into the Main Room.

Gaven can see the devastation of his station will be coming only a second later, with the powerful blast-wave trailing only a few feet behind.

He turns to run to the desk so he can shut down the portal when Malefor enters, however, he can tell by years of experience, he will not make it before the shock-wave hits,

Suddenly, and with complete shock to the old Portal Master, the energy disk disappears the instant Malefor's tail is clear.

"What the hell happened?!" Gaven asks with great surprise, as the station only shutters from a slight influx of power.

"Time happened!" Ignitus retorts smugly, his amulet glowing with the residual energy of a time-warp.

The blue dragon is now standing beside the Portal Master along with Volteer, the only reason the portal was able to remain open, and a smile crosses his features. The Chronicler looks at his yellow and blue scaled friend, and rests his paw upon the electric dragon's flank.

"I thought it a good idea to pull the plug."

The Portal Master of the Skylanders gives a gentle nod of his head, and slightly smiles himself, knowing they will be safe because of the Chronicler's quick thinking. However, only a moment later, his smile disappears, and his eyes focus upon the spot where the portal once stood. An uncomfortable silence fills the room as the dust settles, and Gaven takes this moment to reflect.

"Good Bye Thomas...I will miss you..." He remarks with a great sadness, feeling his loss already, but suddenly an overwhelming sensation fills his heart. A feeling of inner joy flows through the old master, and his smile returns once more.

"...I hope you will finally find peace, my friend...MY BROTHER!"

He lowers his head down staring at the three dragons, all of which are still alive, and cannot help but feel better about his brother's sacrifice, and believing he was completely successful.

Spyro, still lying upon Malefor's back, opens his eyes slowly, and can see his good friend standing before him. The young General can see the genuine pain in Gaven's face, through the smile he is showing, and immediately becomes upset. He struggles to get to his feet, falling from Malefor's back, and lands face first on the steel floor of the Main Room.

Gaven bends down to a knee to help his General up, and is startled as Spyro is quick to wrap his arms around him. The old master can feel the remaining strength Spyro has to offer, as the purple dragon embraces him as hard as he can.

"I'm so sorry, Gaven..." The young dragon remarks with his emotions running high. He knows the exact pain that his friend is feeling, and is overwhelmed with guilt. Spyro lowers his head against Gaven's chest, reeling from his own personal pain, and how he couldn't help his own brother. "...I was there...and I still could do nothing to help him...what kind of hero am I."

"This was not your fault, friend..." Gaven replies, as he returns the embrace his friend was desperately needing. "...I have known Thomas' fate for centuries, but just did not want to accept it."

The Portal Master lowers his hand to Spyro's jaw, and raises his chin up. The purple dragon can see the smile on his superior's face, and is taken by the fact he is showing so much emotion.

"He chose this, Spyro..." Gaven remarks with pride. "...do not disgrace him by second guessing his choice!"

"I just couldn't save him..." Spyro remarks, but only with the thought of his brother fresh in his mind, and Gaven becomes slightly confused at the purple dragon's emotions. "...I failed again!"

However, one dragon becomes angry with Spyro quickly. He knows these emotions are from his own past, and quickly feels the resolve he has for his lost dragonfly friend..

"He made his choice too, Spyro..." Volteer retorts, startling the purple dragon's attention to him. "...He chose to do that because it was what his brother would have done...so don't you dare, disrespect, or dishonor, or shame your brother any longer by thinking he's dead, because of YOUR failure."

Volteer walks over to Spyro, still held in Gaven's large arms, and stares down at him with the stern look he would get from Ignitus...or his father.

"They both gave their lives for what they believed, and that is how anyone would wish to meet their fate..." Volteer lowers his head to the ground, and continues so somberly, that he doesn't stammer with an over usage of words. "...to put the lives of others before their own, and selfishly prove it with the ultimate sacrifice."

Volteer glances over at Malefor, now slowly rising to his feet, uncovering the young whelpling that bares his friend's name. His smile slowly returns as he gets a good look at Spyro's son for the first time.

"That is not failure my friend..." Volteer remarks, looking back at the young father, his joyful emotions showing through the tears in his eyes. "...it is success, and their names will be remembered."

* * *

><p><strong>This is not 'The End'...just the end of the fight. Plenty of questions left unanswered.<strong>

**Does Malefor go back to Avalar, can Spyro find any peace of mind, which father does Sparx chose, will Cynder ever wake up, and of course... **

**Is the Dark Master dead?**

**Find out soon! **


	20. A Smack in the Face

Chapter 20: A Smack in the Face

In a deep slumber, Cynder wrestles with thoughts and images in her head that she cannot understand. Until suddenly, a sound fills her ears, and she quickly realizes that she is sleeping. A calmness fills her heart, and the black dragoness stops shuttering with fear from her imagination.

Like a cat's purr, but as loud as a chainsaw, Cynder knows the sound of her husband's snore. It is a noise most dragons make while they sleep, and a sound that Cynder has missed for two long years.

Her sparkling green eyes open with the light of the sun coming through the hole in the roof, and a smile fills her face knowing she is home. Cynder nestles her muzzle into her favorite pillow, and takes a deep breath, however, is shocked not to smell her own scent, in fact she smells nothing. A thought that bothers her for a second, but then is quickly dismissed by the feel of a paw resting upon her side.

Her eyes focus upon the purple arm, draped across her body, and she quickly grasps onto it pulling it to her chest.

"Thank the ancestors..." She says out loud with great relief. "...it was just a nightmare!"

The young dragoness holds the paw of her husband tightly, waiting for him to grab her too, however, Spyro's arm never flexes.

Cynder begins to turn her body over towards her husband, when she is startled by a voice from the living room.

"MOM!"

She knows that voice, and her eyes open wide. They fill with the site she was not expecting. Her son, but he is only a couple of years old.

Cynder begins rising to her feet, when a second voice holds her still with fear.

"Is she awake?" Remarks Malefor, as his silhouette now fills the doorway beside her young child. His eyes show great concern, as if he is worried for her life.

"Cynder, are you OK!" He asks, and the black dragoness' eyes fill with tears, not understanding what is going on.

The large purple dragon, picks up the small whelpling in his arms, and holds him close to his heart.

"Let's let Mommy sleep...Malefor..." The large dragon remarks to his son, then looks back down at the resting black dragon with a deep fear in his eyes. "...she has had a very bad experience, and we need to let her rest."

Cynder can hear the fear in his words and can see the pain in his eyes. He genuinely feels a deep concern for her.

"I will be just outside if you need me, my love!" The large dragon remarks with great emotion, and Cynder cannot believe what she is hearing. She is frozen solid, not able to move a muscle, and can feel her anxiety return. Malefor lowers his head, with the pain of a husband's fear, and walks away with his young son in hand.

"This is impossible..." She says, her heart pounding with a great fear. "...I love Spyro, not him!"

Suddenly she remembers, and looks down at the arm grasped against her chest. Tears fill her green eyes as Cynder uncovers the appendage draped across her body.

It is no longer a vibrant purple or warm with the blood of his pulse. The arm is cold, gray, and hard as stone.

She quickly turns over, and her heart stops, as Cynder's eyes fill with a terrible sight. Spyro, lying beside her, frozen solid like a statue.

She reaches her paw out, touching him gently upon his muzzle and suddenly a small crack develops where her talon comes in contact with him.

"NO!" She yelps, as the crack begins to expand fast, covering his entire body. The black dragoness becomes consumed with raw emotion, watching the only dragon she has ever cared for break apart.

"NOOOOO!" Cynder cries louder, and quickly wraps her arms around him, but Spyro crumbles in her grasp. His brittle body changes to dust before her tear-filled eyes, and blows out of her life forever through the gap in the ceiling.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She screams as the top of her lungs, popping up from her stomach quickly, and feeling a sharp pain in her right wing.

Her eyes focus, but she is more shocked than ever, as her vision is not of her home, but that of the hospital room where she has spent the last few days.

Cynder's ears ring with the sound of alarms going off, as her blood pressure skyrockets, and she turns her head to the left. And even though her pulse doesn't show it, Cynder quickly calms down from the experience of a terrible dream. However, another sound rings in her soul, and her eyes open wide with a great feeling of joy.

"Cynder..." Spyro remarks weakly from behind her. "...are you OK?"

The black dragoness, not caring about the pain in her wing, swings her body around to see her husband.

"Spyro..." She says gleefully, overcome with the sound of his voice. However, her happiness fades fast as she notices his injuries.

"...What happened?"

Spyro lowers his head, lying in a bed next to hers. His wings held out to the left and right, heavily bandaged like Cynder's.

"I don't really remember..." The purple dragon remarks with grogginess in his voice. Spyro looks up at his wings, and Cynder can see confusion fill his eyes. The purple dragon pause for a moment, then looks back over at his wife.

"Cynder!" He says with surprise. "When did you get here?"

The black dragoness gives him a slight smile, then lowers her head with disappointment. She can see how medicated her husband is, and Cynder cannot help but become a bit angry. She can feel the anxiety of her last moment with Spyro returning, and the secret she is keeping from him.

"_How can I tell him now..."_ Cynder remarks to herself, staring at her husband eyes, and knowing he will not understand a thing she says...

Suddenly the black dragon gets a very weird idea.

"_Maybe I could tell him now..."_ She says to herself seeing a good opportunity to practice this speech. _"...he won't remember a thing anyway."_

Cynder looks back up to him and can see the smile on his muzzle, but that smile is not making her feel any better. She's sure it will come off his face the moment she mentions his name.

"By the way, Cynder..." Spyro quips, his voice distorted with the intoxicating value of the pain-killers coursing through his veins, loosely saying whatever is on his mind at that moment. Spyro tries to stare his wife in the eye, but she keeps moving around on him. He closes his eyes tightly, not to get nauseous, and finishes his thought with a smile across his muzzle.

"...Malefor wanted to say hello, but I think Gaven threw him in the brig."

Cynder's eyes open wide, and her jaw drops to the ground. She is flabbergasted by his words, but even more so as Spyro lays his head back down on the bed and begins to laugh.

"WHAT?" She yelps with complete shock, suddenly feeling like she is dreaming again, believing that she will wake up any second, and find herself in a worse situation.

Cynder smacks herself across the face, and quickly feels the pain. Then looks back to her husband with shock. She does not get the reaction she was expecting.

"You slapped your face, Cynder..." He remarks, now uncontrollably laughing, and the alarm on his bedside monitor begins to sound. The purple dragon is practically delirious, with tears pouring from his eyes, as he looks upon his wife. "...why would you do that silly!"

Cynder can only feel depression, seeing her husband is in his right mind. She lowers her head back down to the bed, and closes her eyes. Tears begin to soak the pillow under her muzzle as the sound of her husbands laughter burns in her heart.

"_Why is Malefor here?"_ She says to herself, rubbing the cheek she just smack, her eyes focused back to Spyro. _"Why is he laughing about this?"_

These thoughts consume the young dragoness, until the sound of the door opening gets her attention.

"Cynder..." Dr. Stanley remarks, as he enters into the room. "...is everything alright in here?"

The black dragon picks her head up, and turns her attention to the man walking up to her. The light in the room, reflects the moisture built up in her eyes, and Dr. Stanley can tell already she is quite upset.

He glances over at Spyro, and is shocked to see he is awake.

"Spyro!" The doctor remarks with a bit of anger in his voice. "Go back to sleep right now, or I will give you another shot!"

The purple dragon's eyes quickly hold focus for more than a second, and his laughter stops abruptly. He remembers the pain of the last injection, and the deep fear he has of needles. Spyro lowers his head back down, and closes his eyes. Heavily medicated, the young hero is snoring again in seconds.

"What happened?" Dr Stanley remarks, placing his hand upon Cynder's muzzle to calm her.

"He knows about Malefor..." Cynder replies staring at Spyro, and wondering what else happened while she was out. She turns her head to the white-robed man. "...I should ask you that question, Jaxon."

Dr Stanley lowers his head with full knowledge of who is in the portal station, and how unhappy his patient will become if he confirms it.

"A lot has happened today, Cynder..." The doctor replies with indifference. "...somethings good..."

Dr. Stanley removes his hand from Cynder's head, and grasps a remote from the table to their left.

"...somethings bad!"

With the click of a button, the video screen in the room comes to life with a disturbing picture.

"NO!" Cynder remarks with anger, seeing Sparx lying in a hospital bed, no longer thinking about Malefor.

"He's alright, Cynder!" Dr. Stanley says replacing his hand upon her shoulder, holding Cynder from getting up. The doctor lowers down face to face with the concerned mother. "I swear to you...Sparx is fine, he is just exhausted from a terrible fight."

"A FIGHT!" She screams, and Spyro's snoring stops once more. His eyes open again looking around the room with total confusion.

"When do we get to open the presents Mom!" He remarks with a child-like quality in his voice, then quickly passes out again.

Dr. Stanley chuckles for a second at the zonked dragon, then focuses his attention back to Cynder. With a large smile on his face, he unhooks her injured wing from the restraint.

The black dragoness, trembles for a moment, seeing the doctor grab her broken wing. However, she can feel the gentleness in his movements, and relaxes her body with confidence in his ability.

"I think it's about time we moved you from intensive care, my dear." He says, slowly folding her wing down with great care not to hurt her. "You apparently have most of your strength back, and I think Spyro could use the 'peace and quiet' this time."

He gently braces Cynder's wing against her flank, and releases the brake on the wheels of her bed. Dr. Stanley disconnects the monitors from Cynder's arm, and places his hand on her paw.

"Besides, I think you will be just as happy with your new roommate." He remarks with a smile, and Cynder's attitude changes in an instant, knowing exactly who he means.

The doctor pulls on the handles of the bed dislodging it from the spot Cynder has spent the last four days, staring at the same walls. A deep feeling of joy fills her heart just to see the scenery move, but her eyes turn to Spyro and she feels a little of that happiness inside of her leave, as she's moved away from her love.

The doctor stops for a moment when Cynder gives a slight whimper in her breath, allowing the smitten dragoness to watch her husband sleep for a few more moments. Her smile returns seeing the joyful look on his slumbering face.

"He seems happy, Jaxon.." Cynder says, and turns to look into the blue eyes of a good family friend, her voice filled with a deep want. "...what did I miss?"

"I think it better to let Sparx explain it to you." Dr. Stanley says, as his smile gets wider. "That young dragon is very proud of his dad, and I'm sure he would love to be the one to tell his mother all about it."

The black dragoness' eyes begin filling with tears again, but this time tears of joy. She can hardly lay still, as Dr. Stanley pushes her through the door, and down the hallway to her son's room.

In a smaller room down the hall, Sparx lays curled up on his stomach in the large bed, contently waiting for a guest he knows is coming. His heart begins to race, as the door of his room opens, but his eyes show shock as Cynder is rolled in.

"MOM..." He barks with a bit of worry in his voice, not expecting to see her. "...What are doing here?"

Cynder can see the surprise on his face, however, she quickly becomes upset when Sparx does not smile. He is almost unhappy to see her.

"Why...do you want me to go somewhere else" She remarks, and he snaps out of his moment of anxiety when he hears the anger in her voice.

"NO!" He retorts, looking at Cynder with a deep feeling of regret for saying that. "Of course I would love for you to be here with me, but..."

The young whelpling turns his eyes away, and he pauses for a way to tell her who is coming.

"BUT WHAT!" Cynder, remarks getting angrier, and Dr. Stanley, still rolling her into position beside Sparx, becomes concerned.

"He's not coming now...is he?" The doctor asks Sparx, and Cynder snaps her eyes up to her friend.

"IS WHO COMING?" The black dragoness barks, believing she already knows who. Her anger-filled eyes return to her son, whom cannot look at her.

Suddenly the door opens again, and Sonic the Hedgehog walks in to the small room. His eyes open wide seeing Cynder in the room, and his focus turns to Dr. Stanley.

"You couldn't wait could you!" The blue hedgehog barks with anger staring at the old doctor. "Spyro told you not to rush this meeting, but you had different ideas."

"She needs to know, Sonic!" Dr. Stanley retorts, then folds his arm across his chest, staring at the blue hedgehog.

The blue Hedgehog rolls up to the tall doctor, staring up at him with a deep anger.

"You are not a psychiatrist, you're a surgeon..." Sonic looks over to Spyro's son, and his eyes fill with regret. "...I don't know if he should come in here now, Sparx!"

"If you talking about Malefor..." Cynder cuts in, then looks at the faces of everyone, as their attention is drawn to her. "...I know he's here...my husband told me..."

Her eyes then lock on her son's

"...but why is he coming to visit you?"

Sparx lowers his head, seeing the rage behind her glare, remembering that same look in her eyes from the day she left Malefor's Lair with a death-defying jump.

"Because your stubborn husband thinks your son can learn something from this dragon..." Gaven answers from the door, as he enters the crowding room. He gestures his hand out the door, and returns his focus to both injured dragons. "...I don't understand his reasoning sometimes, but Spyro is not stupid, and I may actually have to agree with him for once."

"Wait a minute!" Cynder remarks with shock staring into the Portal Master's eyes. "Spyro WANTS that son of a bitch to be near my son?"

"MOM!" Sparx yelps pulling her attention to him, and she is startled at the anger in his eyes. "He is nothing like you made him out to be, and I wanted to see him...that is why he is coming to visit."

Malefor slowly walks into the room with his head down in shame, hearing Cynder's disapproval from down the hall, and the argument between mother and child regarding him. The large vibrant purple and gold dragon, turns his head towards the black dragoness, then quickly turns away seeing so much hatred filling such beautiful eyes.

"Please, forgive what I have done Cynder..." He remarks with his head down, then forces himself to look at her. "...I never wanted this, but I was given little choice."

Cynder looks into his eye, and once again is startled to see her husband looking back. She has known him only as the Dark Master, and while in such turmoil being imprisoned in a hell-like atmosphere, she never even thought to gave him benefit of the doubt. However, still hearing the pain in his voice, and now seeing the resolve in Sparx' eyes for him, Cynder finally decides to lower her guard, and let him in.

"Please...everyone leave!" The black dragoness remarks, and her son sinks further into his bed with depression.

"Everyone, but you Malefor" She adds, and Gaven looks at Cynder with a defiant stare.

"Out of the question...I cannot leave a prisoner alone..." He beings saying, but Cynder is quick to finish his thought.

"...Unless a Skylander is present with a rank of Lieutenant or higher!"

Her green eye's blink sharply, then focus upon the Portal Master.

"Am I not still a Commander, Master Gaven!" She remarks with a stern tone.

The Portal Master lowers his head and gives a slight chuckle.

"Dr. Stanley...Sonic...lets go!" He says, then looks back up at his Commander, still lying in her hospital bed.

"I will be watching Cynder..." Gaven barks, pointing at the window behind him. "...and if I don't like what I see, you will not be happy with the rank I'll drop you down too."

Cynder nods her head, then her eyes return to Malefor, burning a hole into his soul with her stare.

Gaven turns to follow the doctor and the only Skylander left in the station the can walk a straight line, out the door. He stops beside the large purple dragon and places his hand upon Malefor's flank.

"Tell her everything you told me..." He remarks, and looks back at Cynder with a smile. "...she will understand that dragon she knew is long dead..."

His eyes return to Malefor, and his words of confidence overwhelm him.

"...and now...only this proud purple dragon remains."

The Portal Master looks back at Cynder, and can see the change in her attitude from his speech. He walks from the room, with a good feeling inside, however, he is quick to reappear in the large picture window to keep vigil.

Malefor feels the fear of being in an uncomfortable situation immediately, and cannot help but to remain silent. His eyes never look up at the black dragoness that he has caused so much pain, but he can hear Cynder beginning to breathe heavily with anger.

Suddenly the sound of talons striking the steel floor force his eyes up slightly, and more fear fills his heart as Cynder painfully gets down from her bed.

Sparx also watches with anxiety, knowing he cannot move from his bed, seeing his mother approach Malefor with rage in her eyes.

"Don't do it Mom!" Sparx cries, but she pays no attention to her son. Cynder is focused on one thing, Malefor's eyes, as they finally look up and lock on hers.

Cynder stops in front of the large purple dragon, and stares out the window at her superior officer. His eyes showing the discomfort of her first actions. She then returns her intoxicating green eyes to Malefor.

Not a word is spoken, and the silence in the room begins to make Sparx nauseous. He watches with concern as his mother stands muzzle to muzzle with his foster-father, not fully knowing what he means to him.

Suddenly Gaven and Sparx hold their breath as Cynder raises her right paw to strike, but Malefor just closes his eyes and positions his face for her to hit him. The large dragon waits with anticipation for the young dragon's anger, and does nothing to prevent it, hoping it will allow Cynder to let out some of her rage. However, he is surprised as seconds tick by, and he feels no impact.

His suspense turns to shock when his neck is grabbed tightly, and his head yanked down. Malefor opens his eyes to see Cynder's back and bandaged wing, and is startled feeling her chest against his in a warm embrace.

"I never thanked you, for rescuing my son and I, Malefor..." She whispers in his ear, then pulls his head back to look in his eyes. "...and I am the one who is ashamed, I never believed you, even when I knew you we not the same dragon."

Cynder looks over at Sparx, then back to Malefor and lowers her voice to a softer whisper.

"I could never forgive you for what you made me do, and how it is ruining my life to this day..." She remarks with a deep pain that Malefor understands right away. "...I can't look my husband in the eyes without feeling the pain you caused, and knowing how I am the one..."

Cynder pauses, looks at her son again, then tries to contain her emotions.

"You can't understand how this feels Malefor!" Cynder begins to cry from her memories of a life long ago, but one she cannot forget. Her voice becomes so soft that the large dragon before her can barely hear it.

"I killed them..."

Malefor finally returns her embrace, and lowers his muzzle against the black dragoness' neck.

"I'm so sorry, Cynder...if I would have known how our lives were to play out..." Malefor raises his head with tears flowing from his eyes. He looks down at the young dragon before him, and flashes to a moment in her life he regrets. "...I would have never sent you there."

Malefor releases his hug, and turns around quickly with a great pain in his chest.

"It was wrong for me to return...I will leave you and your family alone..." He remarks with a somber tone, then strides towards the door. "...I have done enough damage already."

"No!" The young whelpling barks from his bed, and Malefor halts his exit. The large dragon looks down at the son of Spyro and Cynder, and a smile crosses his face knowing his former child will be safe in such caring arms.

"I must go Sparx...I do not belong here with you." He says holding back his emotions, trying not to show the young dragon his pain. "I want you to know how much it meant to feel respect, once more..."

He turns his eyes to Sparx and can no longer hold back his tears, seeing them flow from the distraught dragon. However, Malefor smirks, and quickly makes light of another dark moment in his life.

"...even if that respect was from such a tiny little whelpling."

Sparx forces a smile across his muzzle, recalling how annoyed he would get at his adoptive father for calling him small, but then is overcome with his emotions, watching Malefor walk out of his life forever.

"WAIT!" Cynder yelps, as the door opens to the room, and once again Malefor halts his exit.

The purple dragon turns his head back to the dark dragoness, whom has her head down in painful thought. Cynder mulls over Gaven's words before, that Sparx can learn from him, and becomes a bit defensive.

"What can you teach my son, that my husband can't." Her eyes focus up, back into Malefor's, and he turns completely around to give her his full attention. "Why would Gaven say, my husband, thinks you can help his son."

Malefor closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath. He knows this is his last chance to talk to Cynder, and he uses his most humble voice to answer.

"I cannot teach him anything about life, that is Spyro's job, and I wouldn't dare try. He must learn how to become a man from his father" The large dragon says, looking over at the concerned youngster. "However, he had a great influence from the beginning, and I never had to teach your son right from wrong, learning that lesson well from his mother."

Malefor returns his eyes to a grateful smirk upon Cynder's face, his true personality finally getting through to the black dragoness.

"I can do nothing more than teach him to use his remarkable abilities..." Malefor says with apprehension, remembering how angry Cynder was the first time he offered to train him. "...and I don't think that is what you what, so therefore...I have nothing for him."

Malefor once again turns around, and heads for the opened door.

"But you do!" Cynder exclaims, grabbing the purple dragon's tail, stopping him in his tracks. She walks along side Malefor, standing before him and the exit, and steps forward, moving the large dragon back. Cynder continues to plow him backward until he is in the center of the room.

"You have plenty to make up for..." She remarks, turning her head back up to peer into his startled eyes. "...and you will make good on what you owe me...what you owe Spyro"

Cynder lowers her head with a slight grin, hearing the deep sigh coming from Malefor, knowing that for once she controls him. The young mother looks over to her son, and can see his eyes are open wide, and his ears are pointed forward waiting with anticipation.

"Sparx...you had better get some rest if you are to train with this dragon..." She says, and a smile fills her face as her son's tail begins to wag uncontrollably. Cynder returns her eyes to Malefor and continues with a bit of sarcasm that makes the large purple dragon blush.

"...as I remember...his training regiment can be quite demanding!"


	21. My Father The Hero

Chapter 21: My Father...The Hero.

His eyes cannot control the tears that now pour down his muzzle, seeping into the pillow his tired head has rested on for a week. Sparx has not moved from his bed in the last week, and even Dr. Stanley has no idea why the young dragon has not recuperated.

But this is not why his tears are flowing, or why he is feeling pain at this moment. It is the sound of Cynder, speaking unthinkable things to his father. Sparx keeps his eyes shut, not to show his mother he is awake, and hearing every angry word she has for Spyro.

Cynder, recovering from her third surgery, still lies beside her son in a hospital bed, and is arguing with her husband on a communicator. The purple dragon, possessing a regenerating ability, and having his strength return over the past week, has recovered from his injuries. Spyro has just informed his wife that he returned home for only a moment...which has started yet another verbal altercation.

This is all the young dragon has heard, lying in his bed, wondering why he cannot recover his own strength. A fierce battle between the ones he thought would never fight, and now it seems that even Malefor was getting a warmer shoulder then Spyro.

His heart continues to pound, and his tears flow faster. His breathing becoming more rapid, and soon loud enough for a mother to hear.

"Sparx..." Cynder remarks with a bit of anxiety, knowing her son is crying because of her anger towards his father. She disconnects the transmission to Avalar, and looks over at her child.

"...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to wake you with that nonsense...I guess I got a little to loud."

The young dragon does not move an inch, and tries to steady his breathing, pretending just to be having a bad dream. He does not want his mother to know the guilt he is feeling, and hopes she just leaves him alone. However, the sound of her talons hitting the floor lets Sparx know, his mother is coming. His body relaxes a bit knowing her gentle touch will soon be applied, but a fear fills his heart not knowing what his emotions will do.

Sparx knows the main reason for Cynder's anger is Malefor, and how her husband just forced him back into their lives. But the bigger problem, this is also what he wanted, and he has not expressed a word of that to his mother, fearing her anger.

He has lied straight face to his mom and cannot understand why, this has made him feel worse than the exhaustion he is experiencing. However, hearing the way his mother and father are bickering now, Sparx finally decides enough is enough.

"_I have to tell her!"_ He says to himself, and feels a pulse of strength through his body, rolling over on his other side before Cynder can reach him. The young dragon puts his paw up to stop his mother's arm from grabbing him, and Cynder is startled a moment by his eyes. They are stern, and focused, unlike before whereas his eyes showed pain and fear.

"Mom...I have to tell you something... something that will not be what you want to hear... something I never thought I'd have to tell you."

The dark dragoness quickly becomes concerned at his tone, and sits down on her hind quarters, giving Sparx her full attention. The young dragon finds a bit more strength, and stands up on his bed getting eye level to talk to his mom.

"I don't know how to tell you this...so I'll just say it..." He remarks, and Cynder's ears point forward with anticipation.

"...I'm the reason Malefor's back."

Cynder's eyes change slightly, but never leave her son's...she takes a deep breath, and Sparx can see his mom is upset at what he said. However the young dragon continues before she can reply with her objection.

"Dad wouldn't leave behind the dragon that meant so much to me..." His eyes fill with tears, and Sparx lowers his head.

"...I love him, Mom...He's my Dad!"

Cynder feels a cold streak run down her back, and Sparx can hear the laboring of her breath. The young dragon looks up to see the tears in her eyes, and feels a terrible pain inside for reveling the truth. However, he also feels more of his strength return, clearing his mind from this secret to his mother.

"I never wanted to hurt you or my real father..." Sparx says, with a sudden confidence in what he is doing, feeling his power come back with every word, knowing it is finally coming from his heart "...and I never forgot the life that I would return too."

"I knew I was gonna come home one day..., " The young dragon remarks and reaches his paw out to his mother. Sparx lifts Cynder's muzzle back up to look into his tear filled eyes. "...my Mom would never let me forget that..."

Cynder remains silent seeing her son is not finished with his thought, but is pausing, trying to find the words for such a delicate situation.

"...I just never thought I would see you again, or have to tell you what I just told you."

"I never meant for any of this to happen, Mom..." He says somberly, looking at his mother with depression, but then Cynder sees a sudden light in her son's eye, and can hear his confidence return in one breath. "...but that is in the past...I have no regret for the life I have had, because I had the love I needed to survive."

Sparx again gets a slight boost of his strength, and stands taller on his bed, looking into Cynder's green eyes with a small smile crossing his muzzle

"I never fully trusted him at first, Mom..." Sparx says turning his head to the door, wishing Malefor was here right now, letting him hear the pride he has for his adoptive father. "...and that was a mistake on my part."

The young dragon once again spins around on the bed to face his mother. He strides to the very edge, forcing his weak muscles to hold his weight from falling, his eyes focused on Cynder.

"Learn from my mistake Mom, and forget everything you know about Malefor..." He says lifting his paw and placing it on her chest. The young dragon loses his balance slightly, and his mother is quick with a stabilizing paw to his side.

Sparx smiles muzzle to muzzle with his mom, feeling her gentle paw against his side, and seeing that she is willing to hear what he wants to say.

"...He is not the dragon that you remember...and I am living proof!"

Cynder stands up, lifting her son off the bed, and holding him in her arms. She gently embraces him, and wraps her good wing around them both. Sparx smiles as she starts bending the second wing around them gently, and is overcome with feelings of joy, watching her use this wing for the first time in his life.

"I love you Sparx..." She says to her son, now completely cocooned in her grasp. "...but there is so much anger I feel for him, that I just cannot forget.

Cynder can feel her son moving his jaw up to look at her, and she opens her wing to allow the light in, so she can see his eyes.

"I'm not asking you to forget your past...that is what makes you who you are..." He replies, then returns his embrace. "...I'm asking you only to realize that he is not that dragon from your past, and that only he could understand your anger more than anyone else."

Cynder suddenly becomes defensive, and places her son back down on the bed with a bit of force. The young dragon pinned on his stomach, is forced to look at his mother's eyes. He can see the rage building up inside, and becomes a bit worried.

"What did he tell you!" She barks with a deep fear that her son now knows a secret that Malefor has knowledge of.

"Nothing!" He remarks with surprise at his mother's emotional flip, but then settles down seeing the regret and fear building behind Cynder's angry facade.

"He never told me about your past, Mom..." Sparx continues, feeling he may have said the wrong thing, however, in his mind the lies had to stop. The young dragon looks away for a second then back to his mom with the same regret for upsetting her. "...honest, he never said a word...He was too ashamed."

Cynder calms down, noticing what she is doing, and seeing the expression on her son's face.

"This is why I can't do this Sparx..." She says looking down at her paws, and feeling more horrible for man-handling her son. "...I cannot control my anger when it comes to him."

"How can you be angry..." He says and Cynder stares into his stern eyes. "...if you don't even know him."

The young mother again looks away, then back to her son. His eyes never blink and Cynder is struck by his words and his attitude. He is calm and she can almost feel her husbands resolve in his stare.

Cynder then turns around and walks back to her bed slowly. She grasps the wrist communicator she was just yelling at Spyro with and taps one of the buttons. In a second, a response is returned to her call.

"Yes Cynder." The Portal Master's voice crackles.

"What cell is Malefor in, Master Gaven." She asks coldly, still giving the old master an attitude, for putting her son in harm's way.

A pause in his voice lets her know, he is fumbling for an answer "Umm...neither!" He quips with embarrassment, and Cynder quickly gasps.

"I no longer consider him a prisoner, and have given him free reign of this planet."

"YOU WHAT!" She barks with rage, and quickly storms towards the exit.

"I'm sorry Sparx, but that I cannot understand..." She says while walking briskly to the door, then pauses seeing her son becoming depressed with ever one of angered steps.

"...I may have to speak with this dragon..." She says with a sarcastic tone, that pops the young dragon's head off his pillow. "...I should find out for myself, why they let him go...and why my son cares for him so much."

Her words sink in fast, and Sparx quickly begins to wag his tail. The young whelpling stands up, and heads for the edge of his bed.

"NO!" Cynder yells, and Sparx looks up at her with a child-like frown.

The dark dragoness closes her eyes, not to look, then smiles and returns her stern gaze to him.

"And I can tell that face, NO, quite easily...so don't even try it!" She says, but deep inside feels the joy of seeing his 'sad face' again. She remembers it well from her past, and is happy seeing his youth is still intact.

"I will be gentle Sparx..." She says giving him a wink. "...but if you and my husband believe he is not the same dragon, then this is something I must find out by myself."

Sparx somberly nods his head, then walks a circle upon his before laying down and gazing at his mother with a smile.

"I love you, Mom..." Sparx says as his eyes slowly close. "...and I will be right here if you need me."

Cynder walks over to her son, kissing him on top of his head between his horns. "I love you too." She whisper, and Sparx can feel a tear land on his neck.

She quickly turns back to the door, hearing the small snore beginning to develop from her son's nostrils, and strides out of the room with a slight bounce in her step. Cynder is as proud as any mother could be, and doesn't need a wing to fly at this moment. Her son has an undying devotion to her and Spyro, and even a six year influence from Malefor, did nothing to break that.

"_Why didn't I believe him." _ She asks herself, walking briskly to the Main Room. Cynder pauses by the door, now feeling a deep shame in her heart for being so callous to Malefor this past week. _"I was there...and I saw it with my own eyes..."_

"_...He is not the same."_

The young dragon takes a deep breath, composing herself, before striding up to the opening double-door. Cynder walks into the Main Room, to the sound of a gasp by the Portal Master.

"Cynder...What are you doing in here..." He says, standing at attention. "...you are supposed to be in bed for at least another day."

The dark dragoness throws him an angered gaze with her green eyes, then continues without a word to one of the many control panels that line the wall. She hops up on her hind legs, using her front paws to type in commands, staring intently at the screen in front of her.

"What are you doing, Commander!" Gaven barks, and Cynder finally answers, keeping rank.

"I'm searching for someone, sir." She replies, not turning a muscle to look at her superior.

"Maybe I can help you, if you told me who?" He asks with apprehension, seeing the cold shoulder an angry mother is giving him.

"NO!" She remarks, turning her head slightly, showing him only the corner of her right eye. "I think you've been enough help to me, Master Gaven!"

"He's outside getting fresh air, Cynder..." The Portal Master answers regardless of her feelings, and the young dragoness lowers her shoulders. Gaven watches as one of his best Skylanders walks from the room without showing any respect to her Master.

"...and I'm sorry for what I've done."

Cynder stops her walk, and turns to face the Portal Master. She strides up to his desk with such anger, that Gaven sits back down in his chair with fear.

"You had no right to put my son in that type of danger, sir..." The dark dragon remarks with a building rage. Her voice becomes louder with every word, showing her disdain for him, to allow a child into a fight like that...especially if the child is hers.

"...and now he is suffering, because of **your** bad judgment."

Gaven lowers his head with no response to her scalding, and the Portal Master listens to her walk away.

However, he suddenly hears her footfalls stop, and the old master looks up to see Cynder has paused by the door, her head lowered with shame, and he can hear the dragoness crying. Cynder turns her head to look back, then her whole body circles around. She slowly strides back to Gaven's desk, and around to his chair.

The Portal Master flinches a bit as Cynder rears up and wraps her arms around him. He was not expecting a show of emotion like this, but understands as soon as her soft whisper hits his ear.

"I'm sorry about Thomas..." She says, knowing his real name from the time she spent with him, and having as strong of feelings for the Guardian as Gaven did. "...I will never forget what he tried to do for me."

Cynder lowers back down to the floor then resumes her walk to the door.

"I wish it would have worked, Cynder..." the Portal Master remarks, also knowing the true reason behind Spyro's first visit to the Skylanders. "...my brother was so disappointed that he couldn't help you."

Gaven once again lowers his head. "It appears my brother and I have been nothing but a disappointment to you and your family."

Cynder can feel his depression, and suddenly becomes upset herself. She wanted him to feel like dirt, she thought, but now seeing how poorly her friend is taking this, the young dragoness again finds herself walking back to him.

"Your not a disappointment Gaven..." She remarks with the first kind words he has heard from her in a while. "...you just made a mistake, and someone very special to me just told me, you can learn well from your mistakes."

Cynder hops her front paws on top of Gaven's steel desk, staring at him with her sparkling green eyes, showing a smile from cheek to cheek.

"I know that is a mistake you will never make again...RIGHT!"

The Portal Master matches her smile, and places his hand upon the side of Cynder's face.

"I swear..." Gaven replies, then his voice becomes soft and filled with joy. "...Mommy!"

Cynder blushes for a second, then looks back up to the proud eyes of her superior, remembering the countless conversations with him while she was pregnant and Spyro was on his second tour. He was calling her mommy, the moment he found out, and Cynder quickly flashes back to a better day.

"I can't believe I'm a mother, Gaven..." She says, and her thoughts return back to the moment at hand, and why she still has this incredible gift. "...and I must finally make things right."

Cynder looks up at her friend, keeping the smile on her muzzle. "Where is Malefor, Gaven?" She asks, then waits for his hands to working the controls. However, when he does not move his hands for few seconds, Cynder bumps his hand lightly with her horn, then looks back down at his keyboard.

"Please...I need to talk to him about my son."

* * *

><p>Laying in his bed, getting the first real bit of rest he has gotten since coming back, Sparx thinks of how his life will be in the real world. The smile on his face is wide, and he can picture his father teaching him about his home.<p>

Suddenly, he can hear the sound of his father's voice, and the young dragon opens his eyes.

"Cynder..." His voice crackles from the other side of his mother's bed, and Sparx knows quickly it is the communicator on her bedside dresser.

"Cynder...I know your there!" Spyro barks with a jovial tone, and his son smiles for a second hearing his dad's playful voice for his mother, even after being yelled at so viciously.

However, when his tone change, so does Sparx'

"Please...Don't make me beg..." Spyro remarks, and his son can hear the pain of his unanswered call.

"...Because I will!"

Sparx uses the little strength he has to stand up and walk over to the edge of his bed. He lowers down to leap across to his mom's bed only a few feet away.

"I'm begging you Cynder...Please talk to me."

He can hear his father's emotion, blended with his plea, and Sparx begins to cry himself. The young dragon leaps as hard as he can, barley clearing his own bed with his weak jump, and falling to the hard floor on his face.

"She's not here DAD!" He screams in pain, but knows there is no way for him to hear unless he can hit the button to receive the call. The young dragon can hear his father crying, and uses every last bit of strength to stand.

"I just want you to know..." Spyro remarks, taking a deep breath, and Sparx slowly rounds the bed getting closer to Cynder's communicator.

"...I love you..." Is heard with deep passion, but then white noise crackles from the little device only a foot from the young dragon. Sparx leaps at the last moment, smacking the communicator from the dresser. He fumbles with the controls hitting several buttons.

"Dad... DAD!" He yelps, continuing to press buttons frantically.

"Hello" A strange voice replies, and Sparx becomes more flustered.

"Is my Dad there...please." The whelpling barks with a seriousness that startles the stranger.

"This is the galley." He replies, and Sparx becomes angry. He slams the communicator on the ground with frustration and yells at the top of his lungs.

"I WANT TO TALK TO MY DAD!"

Sparx can feel a sudden surge of adrenaline, and his power begins returning to his legs. The young dragon stands on his feet with ease, and heads towards the door with and angered scowl on his face.

* * *

><p>Back on Avalar, Spyro is standing in the living room of his home, his eyes focused on the hundred or so Manweresmalls working his orders.<p>

"General Spyro..." The lead mole worker barks, coming up out of the ground near the purple dragon's front right leg. "...we have completed the work in the rear of the mountain as order, and were wondering if you had any other areas that needed tunneling."

The purple dragon still caught up in his last phone call, takes a moment before he realizes he was spoken to. He snaps out of his daze when the agitated Manweresmall taps his paw, waiting for an answer.

"Oh...I'm sorry, Edgar..." Spyro remarks, returning his eyes to the small creature. "Tell Master Mason, that should be all, and that I appreciate all the work you guys have done here today."

Edger gives him a funny look, hearing praise from his friend like that. He has known Spyro for a decade, and has always been one to make a joke of their incredible skills.

"What's wrong Spyro?" The mole asks hearing an old friend speak to him differently. "I've never see you this preoccupied before."

Spyro lifts his head up to the communications system, and recalls his last transmission.

"She won't talk to me Edgar..." He remarks then looks down at his friend. "...now even this surprise I was planning for her, backfired in my face."

After a moment, the purple dragon lowers his head once more, feeling incredibly depressed.

"I can't believe I did this to her."

"Come on Spyro.." Edgar remarks, slapping his friend on the higher end of his front leg, or as high as the small creature can reach. "...she can't be that mad at you for doing this."

Spyro holds his breath then looks away, for if Edgar, or Mason, or anyone on Avalar for that matter knew why Cynder was really angry, they might just understand.

Suddenly the sound of an incoming transmission picks up the spirits of the purple dragon, and he answers the call before the second ring.

"Cynder...is that you?" He asks before the screen shows a man's face, and Spyro quickly feels his heart fill with disappointment.

"Oh...it's you Simon..." Spyro says with depression, but is quickly taken by the fact that the Portal Station's Chef is calling. "..What do you want?"

"General Spyro...I just got a very weird call from your son..." He remarks with seriousness in his voice, and Spyro's attention is quick to focus back to him. "...I heard a loud crash, and he screamed 'I want to talk to my dad'..."

Before Chef Simon could say another word, Spyro cuts off the com link, and makes another call quickly.

"Gaven..." He barks as the screen comes to live with his image. "...Patch me through to my son!"

With a quick nod from his superior, the screen changes once more.

Spyro gasps at the site of his son's empty bed, and quickly he taps the two red buttons on his wrist communicator, opening a portal to the Main Room.

With a father's fear moving his legs, Spyro is through the spacial rift before it is fully open.

"Spyro?" Gaven says with shock as he appears in front of his face. "What's going on?

"My son is not in his bed Gaven!" The purple dragon barks back with fear, running to the steel desk in the room. "...and neither is his mother."

Well Cynder I know about..." The Portal Master replies as his hands begin to burn across his keyboard. "...but I didn't know Sparx had left the room too."

"We have to find him Gaven..." Spyro remarks with concern. "..It sounds like he's running on anger, and I know how bad judgment becomes when that happens."

Spyro knows the last thing that happened to Sparx is that he was held by the Dark Master, and forced to breathe his evil. This sickness reminds him of his own pain, and the moment he used anger to power his body. It is what caused him to attack his wife's rescuer, and it is the moment of his life he most regrets.

"He can't get out of the station...can he? Spyro remarks to his superior, and with his words an alarm goes off.

"_**Warning, unathorized access... Warning..."**_ The computer barks, and Gaven looks at his friend.

"He just walked out the North Entrance Spyro!" Gaven replies with a disappointed look on his face. "I should have locked it down...I'm sorry."

Spyro turns to his superior, and pats him on the back.

"It's OK Gvaen...as long as I know where he..."

Gaven cuts his friend off, feeling a deeper fear, knowing Sparx is in real danger.

"Spyro...It has been raining for weeks..." He remarks, and quickly Spyro's eyes open with a great fear. He knows that area well, along with the dangers, during the wet season, that fill the forest the North Entrance leads to. Without another word, Spyro runs full speed out the door of the Main Room, towards the Northern side of the underground station, his paws blazing a path like Sonic's.

* * *

><p>Flying high in the air, and taking in the splendor of rain hitting his scales for the first time in millions of years, Malefor contently circles around the large doomed hill where the secret station hides. His nostrils taking in every bit of fresh air this fertile planet has to offer, and the smile on his muzzle is irremovable.<p>

Suddenly his eye lock upon the door he walked out of, and his smile disappears from his face. A dark dragoness with red wings stares at him coldly from the ground, almost taking his joy away with her eyes. Malefor banks a hard turn to the left, removing some of his speed, then lowers to the ground alongside Cynder.

"Am I bothering you out here as well Cynder..." he remarks folding his wings against his side, looking at her with an anger that she came to him. "Why have you come out here...I do not want any trouble."

"I didn't come to make trouble, Malefor." She says, then looks up at him with a sincere gaze. "I came to make peace."

Malefor is startled for a second, then a deep scowl returns to his face. The massive purple dragon lowers his head, and turns away from the dark dragon he has hurt so badly.

"There will never be peace between us Cynder..." He says somberly, then returns his tear-filled eyes to her. "...not until you can forgive yourself for killing Spyro's parents."

Cynder immediately breaks down, seeing their faces once more, an image she has never been able to remove from her head since falling for her love, and one that has consumed her ever since. Even the healing and mental powers of the Guardian of the Universe, could not pull this spike from her heart.

"I can't tell him now, Malefor..." She says crying uncontrollably. "...how could my husband still love me if he knew what I did to his family."

Malefor lays his left wing against Cynder, pulling her close to him, and holding her in his arms. The large dragon rests his head upon hers, and remains quiet allowing Cynder to feel only his comforting touch.

"I don't know what to do Malefor..." She says, returning the embrace her former enemy is giving, able to finally release her emotions to someone who knows.

The large purple dragon strokes his paw down Cynder's neck to her broken wing, and a memory from the reflection pool in his lair, fills his mind. He can see Spyro holding her wing, and staring up at his wife with those purple eyes.

His purple eyes.

Malefor breaks his hug with Cynder, and holds her muzzle before his. His eyes show Cynder a familiar stare, as if Spyro himself was talking.

"It doesn't matter what you tell him Cynder..." He says with pure confidence in his judgment. "I know those eyes, as you see them before you..."

Malefor smiles and pulls Cynder back to his chest with a stronger embrace.

"He loves you...and nothing you have done in your past will ever change the way he feels."

Cynder holds tight to her former task master, and unbelievably feels a great deal of comfort from his grasp and his words. She slowly begins to calm down, and Malefor can tell by her breathing and her pulse.

"My son was right..." She remarks, wiping the tears from her eyes as she backs away from the large purple dragon. Cynder composes herself for a moment, but continues with a good deal of emotion still in her voice. "...you are nothing of that dragon I once knew, and I can finally see that now."

Malefor looks at the sky and can see another deluge of rain is about to hit, he gestures his head to the right, towards an outcropping of rocks.

"There's a cave over there we can stay dry in..." Malefor remarks "...if you would like to accompany me, I would love to tell you a few more things about that incredible son of yours."

Cynder smiles at this dragon's willing to please, a trait much like Spyro, and she almost feels as if she was with him. She has been nothing but callous and curt with him, but nonetheless Malefor is ready to open up to her. The young dragoness, feeling the first cold drops of water hit her body, nods her head and begins to walk alongside her old foe. Malefor raises his right wing over Cynder's head to keep the rain from hitting her as they stroll nearly half a mile to the cave.

By the time they reached the entrance, the rain was pouring down, but that never slowed the conversation. The Evil Dark Master and the Terror of the Skies had been reunited at long last, but this time their meeting was filled with smiles and joy. Cynder and Malefor's laughter echos through the cave, as both dragons do not speak of the past, but of the future, and a young dragon they both call son.

As the two dragons continue to swap stories of their new life, Malefor suddenly becomes upset. He has been getting ready to tell Spyro and Sparx that he is leaving, not wanting to drive a wedge further into this family's bond, but now feeling a connection with Cynder, he now finds this decision even more difficult.

"I must leave Cynder." He remarks bluntly, and watches the smile leave the dark dragon's face.

"What are you talking about!" She says with shock, not understanding his reasoning. "I am not angry with you anymore, and I want you to stay."

Malefor lowers his head hearing the greatest words of his life, but also the real reason he must go.

"I cannot allow your son to keep believing that I am as much his father as Spyro..." He retorts, then turns his stern eyes to Cynder. "...and if I stay in your lives, that is exactly what will happen."

The large purple dragon walks to the cave entrance, and looks up into the sky, wincing as the drops of rain splash his eyes.

"I will be here..." Malefor remarks, then looks back to Cynder. "...if you ever need to talk, my old friend, please feel free to visit, but I will not be a part of your son's life any longer..."

Malefor lowers his head with depression, remembering the young dragon's face, and knowing he will never see it again.

"...He will not understand, Cynder...so I will need you to explain."

Cynder walks up to the purple dragon, placing her paw on his arm and looking deep into his eyes.

"I don't understand."

Malefor feels her tight grip on his arm, and begins to think he may be making the wrong choice. However, he quickly snaps his arm from Cynder's paw, and leaps into the air. Knowing she cannot chase him with a bad wing, Malefor heads high in the air at incredible speed.

* * *

><p>In a long hallway, leading to an impressive sized door, Sparx legs continue to move his sore body. The young dragon can feel he is dizzy from walking around for the first time in a week, but does not give up his search for Cynder. He can smell her scent strong now, and will follow it into hell if he has to.<p>

The young dragon gets to the exit, and sits on his butt, looking up at the solid door

"How does this thing OPEN!" He says, and is startled as the large doors begin to OPEN.

"OH...OK" He remarks with shock as the entrance swings out, but then his eyes are drawn quickly to what is behind the door.

The young dragon walks out, but stops the moment a drop of water hits the tip of his muzzle.

"What is that!" He barks with shock, pulling back into the doorway. He taps the droplet of water on his nose with a cautious paw, and is quickly startled even further.

"It's water!" He says with more shock in his voice, however, he is startled again, this time by an alarm. Sparx watches as the doors start to close, and he quickly decide to step out, and not back in.

"_It's only water, Sparx..."_ He says to himself looking out at the thick forest in front of him. _ "...but your mom is out here, and you have to find her."_

Sparx burrows through the dense foliage surrounding the door, and breaks into a small clearing. He begins to panic realizing he can no longer smell his mother's scent, but only the damp smell of mold and pollen.

"MOM!" He yelps, suddenly overcome with misdirection. The young dragon lowers his head feeling weaker every second.

Sparx begins hallucinating, thinking he is on a mission to save his parent's marriage, believing it is his fault they are arguing

"I gotta find her, I can't let my Dad down." He says to himself out loud.

The young dragon begins to walk briskly down an unused path, and quickly catches a faint scent again with his nose.

"Malefor!" He says, and his eyes begin to show anger. The young dragon walks faster to find this dragon he is now associating with his parent's anger as well.

He comes to a stop near a clearing, and he can once again smell his Mom. Her scent is mingled with Malefor's, and the young dragon becomes angrier. His power begins to rise, and his strength increases with every pump of his heart. Sparx can see the eight paw prints of two dragons side by side, and his rage gets deeper.

"HOW DARE HE!" Sparx growls to himself, then follows the trail.

After a moment, he comes to a small cliff, and his eyes befall a cave in the distance. He is startled as Malefor takes off from the entrance, flying straight up. Then his eyes focus back to the ground and fill with more anger, as Cynder walks from the cave as well.

Sparx is irate, believing his mother is cheating on his father, his mind racing with all sorts of disturbing thoughts, and unable to control any of them.

Sparx, in a full blown rage, takes a ill-advised step forward, and is thrust back to reality as the ground gives way under his paw. His eyes open wide with fear, as he slides down the steep embankment and into a large puddle of mud.

Suddenly, Sparx is aware of his surrounding, but not how he got there. The young dragon struggles to lift his paw out of the mud, and clean the wet sand from his mouth. However, when he lifts his right paw, his left paw sinks further into the mud. The young dragon then tries to move his hind legs, to gain leverage, but they quickly sink into the ground just as easily. Sparx panics, and thrashes his body, only allowing it to settle further into the quicksand, and the young dragon begins to weep.

He has no clue how he got here, only that he is too weak to move, and is going to die.

"MOOOOM!" He screams, not even knowing if she is around, feeling his back and wings enveloped in the constricting sands.

With his right paw free, Sparx desperately reaches up to grasp at several vines, knowing they are well out of his reach. Tears begin to flow uncontrollably from his eyes, as this action forces him down further.

Sparx raises his head as high as he can, trying to keep above the rising muck, and gives one more desperate yell. However, as Sparx opens his muzzle, it quickly fills with the watery mud, choking off his last plea for help.

The young dragon takes a deep breath through his nostrils, but then feels them fill with the encasing sand that is squeezing his body tighter.

Cynder, who watched her son fall, has reached the edge of the canyon he fell into. She quickly leaps, spreading her wings, and starts gliding down to her drowning son. With over a hundred yards to glide, the dark dragon's right wing begins to buckle from the air pressure, and Cynder yelps in pain.

She lands in the same puddle her son is in, but thirty feet away, and quickly begins trudging towards the bubbles she can see.

"SPARX..." Cynder screams, powering through the mud as fast as she can, her emotions running faster than the tears from her eyes. "...NO...PLEASE!"

With his ears packed full of mud, sinking further into the soft ground, Sparx cannot hear his mother screaming only a few feet from him

"_MOM...Where are you!"_ The young dragon says to himself, feeling his life fade along with the little oxygen left in his lungs.

"_DAD...Please!"_

Suddenly the young dragon can sense the impact and vibrations of someone above him. He can feel two arms wrap around his body, then the force of his frame being powered out of his early grave.

As his head comes free, Sparx can feel a strong paw stroke the top of his muzzle to clear his nose of the mud, and he quickly gasps a breath of air.

The young dragon chokes for several minutes to clear his throat, then feels his body embraced tightly. And even thought he cannot see who his hero is, Sparx knows by the beat of his heart.

"DAD!" He says with his sore voice, struggle to speak and shaking uncontrollably.

"It's OK Sparx...It's OK now..." Spyro remarks, holding his mud covered son tightly in his arms. He strokes his paw across his son's eyes, clearing them to open, allowing his boy to look into his father's secure stare.

"...I got you son."


	22. Training Day

**I want to thank everyone for the incredible bump in hits I've had this month, you guys are the reason I'm ripping through this so quickly.**

**Almost 20,000 words in three weeks, and I'm finding my inspiration from all of you. **

**Well it's time to start closing the open ends, and moving towards the climax of this story, and what better way to do that...then to add a new character - LOL **

* * *

><p>Chapter 22 Training Day<p>

Sitting on his hind quarters, looking out across one of the many oceans on this beautiful uninhabited planet, Malefor feels at peace with himself. From the top of the cliffs that line the shore, the large dragon can see for miles, and nothing but pristine skies and clear blue water fills his sight.

Malefor closes his eyes, taking in his surrounding with the rest of his senses, feeling the strong breeze fill his wings with warmth. He takes a deep breath, enjoying the smell and the taste of the salty waters churning against the rocks below, his ears hearing only the sound of ambient noise, and a large smile crosses his muzzle.

Suddenly a slight sound from behind disturbs the large dragon, and his smile increases in size.

"You couldn't sneak up on a deaf dragon..." He remarks, opening his wings fast and trusting up into the air. A large rock projectile zips under his frame, missing only by inches, and Malefor begins laughing at his opponent.

"...really Spyro..." he taunts from above, staring down at the smaller purple dragon. "...you're going to have to do better than that."

Malefor turns his body to the right, snapping his wings back and taking off at incredible speed. Spyro tries to follow, but is struck by a wave of wind from Malefor's wings, and loses his momentum falling back to the ground.

"Damn it!" He barks with frustration, scanning the sky and seeing no sign of the large dragon. "He did it again!"

Spyro sits still for a moment to compose his thoughts, and takes a deep breath before closing his eyes.

"I know you're around here..." He says to himself, knowing even Malefor cannot fly that fast without using his full power. He sticks his nose in the air, taking a deeper breath, and using some of the tactics Malefor has helped him hone. "...I can smell you."

Spyro quickly spins one hundred eighty degrees, and releases a huge plume of fire from his mouth. Malefor quickly places his wings in front of his face to block the blast from his eyes, the only part of his body a fire could hurt.

"Gotta Ya!" Spyro yelps with pride, stopping the inferno from his mouth, and finally relaxing his tired body. The purple dragon is exhausted from this intense game of tag, and lowers to the ground on his stomach.

"Very good, Spyro..." the large dragon remarks, lowering his wings back to his side, and showing the large smile on his face. However, Spyro can hear the sarcastic tone of his old foe, and a smack to his pride as Malefor continues. "...not bad if you needed to win a child's game...but now maybe you should learn something for a big boy."

Spyro stands back to his feet, and gives Malefor an angered stare.

"Are you trying to annoy me..." He yells in Malefor's face, showing the large dragon he is ready for more. "...because I will make you eat that smile!"

Malefor grins and backs away a step. He looks down at the focused dragon standing before him, knowing how tired Spyro is, and takes a deep breath.

"Good...I'm glad to see you still have your stubborn side with you, because you're going to need it..." Malefor says lowering his posture into a slight crouch, but then he looks away for a moment and continues with a bit of regret in his voice

"I just hope I will not lose my new friend after this day!"

Suddenly Malefor swings his tail into Spyro's face, and catches the purple hero across the cheek with the massive scale on the tip of his tail. The unexpected impact takes Spyro completely off guard, and off his feet. Before he can even realize what is going on, Malefor grasps Spyro by the left horn, yanking him back in front of his face.

"What are you doi..." Is all Spyro can say with devastated surprise, before a vicious right paw is delivered to the opposite side of his muzzle. Malefor releases his grip on Spyro's horn at the moment of impact, sending the small dragon hurdling with the momentum of his powerful punch.

The young purple dragon crashes to the ground on his left side, sliding across the rocky surface of the cliffs. Spyro's wing is dragged under his body, tearing the membrane to shreds on the jagged rocks from the weight his body is pressing down with. As his agonizing slide comes to a stop, Spyro shakes his head, and rolls back onto his feet. The pain throughout his body is staggering, but his mind is in more turmoil.

"Are you crazy!" Spyro barks, grasping his muzzle, and seeing the blood coming from his mouth. "I thought this was just training."

Malefor's eyes show anger and his voice suggests no different.

"Training is over, Spyro...time to find out if you can handle real power."

Spyro eyes go blank, as Malefor charges him, realizing he has no way of getting away from him, and quickly feeling a deadly fear fill his body.

Malefor covers the distance between them in an instant, grabbing the purple dragon with his left front paw, and ramming his knee into Spyro's gold chest. A second vicious blow, to the back of his neck, is delivered a moment later from Malefor's right elbow.

Spyro slams jaw first into the ground and remains motionless from the assault his body just took. "Why?" The purple hero remarks with the little air in his lungs, trying to look into his aggressor's eyes.

Malefor places his paw down on the bridge of Spyro's nose, and quickly the younger dragon becomes even more frightened. Stone begins to pour from Malefor's paw, surrounding his snout with a strong muzzle, and a primal chill shoots down Spyro's back seeing this magic again.

"You are weak ..." The large dragon remarks, sounding more like his old self, flipping the smaller dragon over onto his back. He stares into Spyro's eyes, while grasping his paws tightly.

"...so how will you defend your son..." He continues, as he binds Spyro's paws to his chest with the same stone magic. "...if you cannot defend yourself!"

Malefor rams his right knee into Spyro's stomach, then lowers his powerful left forearm across his neck and jaw. Spyro gasps for air through his nose, as Malefor presses his full weight down, and stares at the younger dragon with his now cold eyes.

"Perhaps..I should be the one to raise him..." He taunts, but Malefor closes his eyes, and looks away for a moment. Spyro can hear a cracking in the large dragon's voice as he continues, and becomes more confused hearing his tearful remorse.

"...I'm sorry, Spyro!"

Without another word, Malefor removes his left arm from Spyro's neck, and places that paw upon his chest. It quickly begins pulsing with magic, and the young purple dragon can feel a dull pain. Able to lift his head now, Spyro's eyes fill with the disturbing site of his body being changed to stone, just like Cynder.

"NO!" He yelps through his nose, but Malefor continues to fill the young dragon with his magic.

Suddenly Spyro can feel his legs and tail become still, and his eyes lock on Malefor. "Please...Malefor!" He says muffled through the muzzle over his mouth. "Don't do this to Cynder...don't do this to my son!"

Malefor lowers back down to Spyro's muzzle, and stares into his eyes.

"You have to fight for them Spyro!" The large dragon barks in his face "You have to fight this feeling, if you want them back."

Spyro stares into Malefor eyes, and can see his own encouraging eyes staring back, trying to help build his strength.

"You feel the stone in your body Spyro...coursing through your veins...telling you to stop moving." Malefor smiles and looks deeper into his eyes. "Don't listen to it, friend! You are more stubborn than some ROCK...you tell it what to do."

The large dragon releases his grip seeing enough magic has been applied, watching the line of stone crawl up Spyro's neck to his muzzle.

"But, you are running out of time young dragon..." He says stepping back, allowing Spyro's fate to be his own. "...and I will not stop it, so soon it will cover that ugly round nose of yours."

Feeling some of his fear fade away, hearing a genuine will behind Malefor's voice, and believing this is just his psychotic way of training, Spyro settles his nerves and tries to concentrate. He can feel the pins & needles of numbness throughout his body, making it hard to focus, and the stone begins to envelop his face.

Spyro stares at Malefor with complete defeat in his eyes. "I can't do it!" He remarks, just as his nose is encompassed in the rock, closing off his only air passage.

"YES YOU CAN!" Malefor barks, bringing his eyes down to Spyro's, showing his anger for him not trying.

"You can feel pain, can you not?" Malefor asks rhetorically, knowing Spyro cannot answer.

"I know you do...I see it in your eyes." He says, then grasps Spyro's throat.

"Can you feel this?" again getting his answer from the purple eyes of his student, the only part of his body that has yet to glaze-over with stone. "Yes...you can, can't you" He says with assurance seeing the force of his grip straining Spyro's eyes.

"...if you can still feel my grip, young dragon, then there is still life left inside this statue of a dragon." He says softly, then looks deep into Spyro eyes as they turn gray and lifeless.

"You need to make the stone a part of you, and bring the whole statue to life."

Spyro can barely hear his words, but they sink in fast, slightly understanding their meaning. His sight goes blind, and his ears go silent, but his heart begins to beat steadily again. The purple dragon, forced to hear only his thoughts, remembers the words of the Chronicler, and allows the hard side of his personality to take over.

"_Be solid, unbreakable...and a bit stubborn."_ He says to himself.

Malefor watches as nothing happens for a moment, becoming very anxious.

"_Maybe he wasn't ready for this"_ He remarks to himself, and lowers down to Spyro's solid frame.

"Come on Spyro..." He barks at the stone statue. "...are you just gonna lay there and DIE!"

Suddenly Malefor is startled as Spyro's eyes flash brightly in his face, showing nothing but his white pupil-less stare. He is more shocked as a knee of solid rock is slammed into his stomach. Spyro then swings his right arm into the side of the stunned dragon, throwing him across the ground and into a large palm tree.

Malefor shakes the cobwebs from two rock solid impacts, and turns his head to look back at Spyro. A huge smile fills his features, watching a dragon made completely of granite, stand back up on his feet.

"Excellent Spyro..." Malefor says with a wince of pain, as he returns to all fours, looking over the impressive dragon. "...how do you feel?"

The dragon made of pure rock, replies with a deeper voice.

"I'm finding it hard to breathe..." He says with strain, but his eyes show what is really concerning him. "...and the pain throughout my body is immense."

Malefor just nods slightly and looks at the ground.

"Yes... trying to breath through stone is something you will have to get used to, but.." He remarks then turns his head to Spyro with an evil grin.

Malefor opens his mouth, and a vicious bolt of lightning is sent towards the stone dragon in half a heart beat. Before Spyro could do anything, it strikes dead center into his chest.

"What the!" Spyro barks with surprise, seeing this quick flash of light come at him, but is completely taken by the fact that he didn't feel a thing.

"...it is a great defense against many powerful elements." Malefor remarks, finishing his thought, then once again unleashing a storm of electricity from his muzzle.

Spyro sits stunned, watching bolts of lightning dance up his chest and across his muzzle, feeling none of their intensity. Suddenly the magic from Malefor's mouth changes, and Spyro is engulfed in a roaring blaze, again feeling nothing but a little heat from the inferno around him. The stone dragon smiles, then takes another labored breath.

Seeing the trouble he is having to maintain this form, the large dragon holds up his paw and looks at Spyro with the same smile.

"Relax my friend...training is over..." Malefor remarks. "...I don't want you to kill yourself the first day!"

Spyro's color begins to return to normal, as the stone magic dissipates from his body. He shakes his head from the overwhelming use of power he just spent, then looks at Malefor with a bit of agitation in his eyes.

"KILL MYSELF!" He hollers, but Malefor continues to smile, seeing that Spyro is not really angry, just a bit annoyed.

"Why did YOU..." Spyro says sarcastically, staring into Malefor's eyes. "...do that to me like that? I mean I hope you didn't teach my son the same way."

The large dragon gives Spyro a dirty look, then stares at the ground.

"I never did anything to Sparx that would hurt him, Spyro..." His eyes turn back up from the ground focusing on his son's father. "...I had time with him, and was able to use a more gentle approach. I don't believe I have that luxury with you."

Spyro shows a bit of confusion again, hearing that there is no time for training, and lowers his head in thought. He glances to his left, staring at an old felled tree, and quickly strides over to it. Slicing it with his paw, he drags a large piece of the dried wood before he and the large dragon. With a quick blast of his breath, Spyro engulfs the tree trunk into a roaring fire, and looks back down on the ground for a place to lay his sore body. After circling several times, he lowers to his stomach facing Malefor, and focuses his attention to the large dragon.

"Why do you think we have no time..." Spyro asks to start this conversation, showing Malefor he wants an answer with his eyes and with the sternness of his voice. "...what is it you are not telling me, Malefor?"

The larger purple dragon stares into the fire his counter-part made, and watches as the flames dance along the trunk of the old tree.

"I'm afraid as much as Gaven believes his brother was successful, he was not..." Malefor turns to Spyro as he continues with his deep fear. "...and the Dark Master is still alive."

Malefor can see no change of expression in the purple hero's features.

"I was hoping you were not going to say that..." The younger dragon remarks. "...because I feel the same way too."

Both dragon's return their attention to the fire, staring intently at the blaze for a moment to think, when the sound of someone running through the woods behind them, breaks their focuses.

"Who is that?" Spyro barks angrily, knowing it is probably a Skylander Station worker outside where he shouldn't be. "What are you doing out here. No one is allowed..."

"SPYRO..." A voice barks cutting him off, and the purple dragon shows a bit of embarrassment hearing Gaven's voice. "...Where the hell are you?"

"Over here, by the fire..." the purple dragon replies, hearing the anxiousness in his voice. "...is everything OK?"

"NO!" He retorts, suddenly emerging from the trees, his eyes showing a true feeling of worry.

"Your father just called...there is a problem at home!"

* * *

><p>Sparx, tossing and turning on a large cushion, is filled with an inner turmoil, one that seems to be taking his energy, and keeping it for itself. The young dragon wrestles within trying to understand why he feels this way, knowing he has hatred for no one, but still feeling a overwhelming rage burning inside.<p>

His emotions are back and forth, feeling anger then love, frustration then confidence, helplessness then hope. A roller coaster of feelings that has kept the young dragon from falling into a deep revitalizing sleep.

Suddenly a wisp of laughter catches his attention, and his eyes open with a bit of shock. Sparx is spooked by his surrounding for only a second, seeing the large room burrowed into a mountain that he is sleeping in, then quickly remembers his mother and father brought him home yesterday. However, his eyes still show wonder staring at a small blue dragonfly hovering in front of his muzzle.

The little dragonfly gives another giggle, seeing Sparx' purple eyes. "I can't believe how big my nephew is..." She says flying around to his back and staring in awe at the size of this young dragon "...I didn't believe my mommy when she told me, but she was right... you're huge!"

The young dragonfly scoots back in front of Sparx' eyes, smiling from cheek to cheek. "...my brother Spyro said that you were on a special mission, one that only a special dragon could do, and that is why you got so big."

Sparx smiles, still not fully understanding who is in front of him, or why, but still feeling comfortable in her presence. His mother told him the nature of his own name, and a little dragonfly that Spyro proudly called his brother. It is easy to conclude by this youngster's innocence, she is still only a baby, and is a part of this odd family tree.

"So I guess, if I'm your nephew, then you must be my Aunt..." He replies to the young girl, and his eyes and voice, much like her brother's, quickly makes the little dragonfly feel just as comfortable with him. "...What is your name, little one."

"My name is Sapphire, and I already know you're name...It's Sparx, right..." She says with a bit of pride in her voice. "...My mommy and daddy said Cynder named you after my other brother..."

Her voice drops slighty, but still not fully understanding, the baby dragonfly makes little of her brother's loss.

"...but he died!"

Sparx feels horrible hearing the young child's words, but quickly notices the smile return to her face.

"We're going to the park they named in his honor tomorrow..." She says joyfully, with only this on her young mind. "...are you coming with us?"

Sparx still unsure of what is going on, is dumbfounded for a moment.

"I don't know" He says with a bit of apprehension, but seeing her terrible reaction, the young dragon takes another moment.

Sparx struggles to his feet, but finds he has more strength then the day before, it takes a moment but soon he is up on all fours. He places his left front paw out for her to fly over to, and Sapphire quickly lands in his open palm. The two-toned purple dragon slowly lowers his muzzle down to her, as not to frighten the little dragonfly.

"Maybe I will go..." He says, and Sapphire smiles, flapping her wings at great speed with excitement. Sparx feels another boost in his strength, and gives her a very wide smile of his own. "...but only if you'll stay by my side."

"SAPPHIRE!" An enraged voice barks, and both dragon and dragonfly turn their heads towards the door with shock.

Sparx eyes settle on a full-sized green-colored dragonfly, but Sapphire sees her mother, and both can see...she is not happy.

"I told you not to bother him, not until he was awake." Nina barks at her daughter, the adoptive mother of Spyro zips over to the young lady with an angry look on her face, and Sapphire quickly hides behind Sparx' paw.

"But he was awake, Mommy!" She replies, looking around one of Sparx' talons, trying to see if her mother accepts her lie, however, judging by the look in her eyes...she does not.

"It's OK..." Sparx says, gently grasping the small dragonfly in his paw, and lifting her up to his face. "...she is not bothering me in the least."

Sparx' eyes focus down at the larger dragonfly, and he takes a deep relaxing breath.

"In fact, her presence is very calming, and I wouldn't mind at all if she stayed here..." He says, then gives the green dragonfly a very large grin. "...but only if that's OK with you...Grandma!"

Nina just smiles as large as Sparx, then turns her head hearing the gasping sound of her husband's voice.

"See...and you said you would never have grandchildren!" Flash remarks from behind.

The large blue dragonfly floats into the room alongside his wife, and grasps her hand. She can feel her husband's normally steady grip is very shaky.

"This reminds me so much of Spyro and Sparx..." He says wrapping his arm around Nina, staring at the two playing with each other. "I can't believe the similarity!"

Both dragonflies smile in the moment. Though he is much bigger then Spyro when he was born, Sparx has found a good friend in the family already, and appears to have taken on the role of protecting this young dragonfly, just like his father did with his brother.

"How are you feeling young man..." Flash asks as some concern returns to his words, remembering what his daughter-in-law told him of his ailments. "...are you getting any of your strength back yet?"

"Not really..." The young dragon replies, looking down at the pillow he is resting on and smelling the scent of his mother and father. He turns his head slightly, getting a glimpse of Sapphire's sad face, as she hears he is not feeling good.

The thought of this young dragonfly, who knows little more of him then his name, becoming upset that he is not feeling well, quickly fills the young dragon with another boost of energy. It is the undying devotion found only within a strong family, and he smiles at the little dragonfly to his left.

"...but, talking to my Aunt is making me feel a lot better now."

The smile on his face, and the notion that he is feeling better because of her, fills the young dragonfly with great pride and joy.

"So that means you'll come to the park with us...right?" She asks with a child's curious voice, and Sparx keeps smiling, letting her know the answer is yes. However, her mother has a different feeling, one to protect her weak grandson.

"He can barely stand up Sapphire..." She barks with a bit of anger, and letting her daughter know she is being rude. "...it's not nice to push him like that, sweetie. We need to let him rest, and only Spyro and Cynder are able to make that decision"

"Daddy..." Sapphire says with a perfect amount of shyness, knowing that her daddy's-little-girl voice, always works.

"...can Sparx come with us to the Park tomorrow?"

"Your mother just said Spyro and Cynder have to make that decision!" He says with a bit of shock, knowing full well his daughter heard what her mother said.

"I know..." she says innocently, then looks into her father's eyes with a bit of sternness. "...but you're his Daddy...tell Spyro that he has to come!"

Both Nina and Flash stare at their child with complete surprise, but Sparx cannot hold back his laughter. The young dragon finds another pulse of energy, and stands taller on his feet. He cradles Sapphire in his left front paw, and continues with laughter throughout his response.

"Yeah grandpa...you tell Spyro that I'm going to the Park..." He says with a great deal of sarcasm. "..I want to see that."

Suddenly Sparx becomes more serious, and looks back at Sapphire, with a large smile on his face.

"However..." he says never taking his eyes from the little dragonfly, almost feeling his strength returning through her. "...if you let my Dad know that my Aunt Sapphire while be there to watch over me..." He looks back at the parents of his new friend...and his father.

"...I'm sure the answer will be yes!"

"Oh you're so SURE of that...huh" Cynder barks from the doorway, and Sparx quickly snaps his head to look at his mom.

With haste, but not fast enough to startle the little dragonfly in his left paw, Sparx makes his way past his grandparents and into the arms of his mother. The young dragon cries, himself, with joy just being in Cynder's grasp, caring about nothing more than her holding him at this moment, and hoping it won't end.

The young dragoness can feel a great deal of strength in his embrace, and she lowers her paw down to lift her son's head up. A large smile fills her features, and with that show of emotion, Sparx energy rises again.

"You are feeling better today." She says with a great deal of relief.

"I am now, Mom..." He says, returning his head against her neck and wrapping his wings around Cynder, Sapphire, and himself. "I am now!"

Sapphire, cocooned inside and watching mother and son embrace, becomes a bit upset, not having someone of her own to hug. She quickly locks her eyes on the only thing she can get her tiny arms around on her new nephew. Cynder and Sparx begin to chuckle, as the little blue dragonfly wraps up the young whelpling's left horn in a tight embrace, and again, Sparx feels another charge of power.

After this touching moment, that left both of Cynder's in-laws in tears, mother and son walk from the large sleeping chamber and into the living room.

The young dragoness decides to let her son test his strength, and does so by showing him the improvements her husband made to their home. He has never really seen this place, except for the quick moment when he return from his hellish birth place, and last night when Spyro carried him home sleeping. His eyes opening only a few times, and seeing the large cave in a haze of blurry vision.

But now, with his sight unimpaired, and both suns shining into the Valley of Avalar, the room is filled with an abundance of light, allowing this young dragon to see his incredible new home.

Hundreds of pictures lining the walls show many different poses of the dragons he calls mother and father, but it's not just them posing for the camera. He can see all the different species of this planet, proudly standing with his parents and smiling easily in their captured moment with the hero of Avalar.

His eyes focus on countless scenes of triumph and joy, spinning his head completely around the room, till one picture stops his eyes cold. A gold dragonfly, with an incredible smile, and a personality that you could almost feel from his portrait.

"That's him..." He says confidently, turning back to his mother with a smile. "...that's Sparx!"

He strolls over to the large memorial, Spyro labored for months to build with his own paws, and uses a good deal of his strength to hop up on his hind legs. Still being a smaller dragon, Sparx cannot see into the back of the glass case, unless he can fully stand up. A struggle for the youngster at this moment, and he begins to become upset, still feeling the drain on his body. However, he does not back down from the glass case, trying to use every bit of strength he has to gain another inch.

Cynder can see her son is desperate to get up higher on his hind legs, to see all this beautiful memorial has to offer, and quickly she helps him up with her paws. Cynder holds her son gently, helping him to stand upright, bringing the many items he could not see into focus.

"WOW!" His voice says, along with his eyes, as they sparkle from the medals lying in the case. Gold and platinum awards that are larger than the small dragonfly was himself, and everyone only to bestowed upon a dragon. He can also see hundreds of faces with the little yellow dragonfly buzzing above, all with a smile that is not forced upon any of them.

Cynder wraps her arm around Sparx holding him against the case. She uses her free hand to point out to her son, the many creatures he influenced, and how they became better because of his friendship.

Sparx stares in awe at the countless lives, such a little creature could touch, and a deep feeling of pride fills the young dragon's heart hearing Cynder speak of him in such regard. He places his paw on his mother's arm, and looks up into her eyes.

"Thank you, Mom..." He says, and Cynder is a bit baffled at her son's sudden appreciation. His eyes return to the many items that hold much respect, and he continues with the same amount of respect in his voice.

"...I couldn't be more proud of my name."

Cynder turns her head slightly, looking at her in-laws hovering alongside, and seeing the appreciation in their tear-filled eyes. She lifts her son in her arms, with the overwhelming desire to hug him, and does so. The dark dragoness lowers her head down, cradling Sparx against every part of her that she can, and her green eyes focus up into the air.

"I'm sure he is the one who feels great pride, Sparx..." She whispers, kissing the top of his head and holding him tighter. "...for his name will be associated with his brother's son, and the greatest dragon I know..."

Cynder lifts her son's jaw to look deep into his eyes.

"...my baby!"

The two hold each other, and Sparx feels a great boost to his energy, finally realizing he is home. Cynder does as well, as mother and child feed off each other. Quickly, the dark dragoness can sense his strength, becoming stronger herself with every thump of his heart.

Cynder, places her son down on his paws, and gives him a smile, she can see his is standing up-rite and completely balanced. The young mother walks briskly down a newly burrowed hallway, towards the back of the cave, and Sparx is fast to stay on her tail. Cynder makes her young son trot, trying to get an idea of his stamina, wanting to find out if he is really feeling better.

Her smile increases, seeing the young dragon keeping pace, and not laboring in the slightest. Cynder turns to her right, looking at Flash and Nina whom have zipped up alongside her ear, and she gives them a smile. Her in-laws give the same smile back, but gesture Cynder to look behind her again.

She stops abruptly, watching a tiny blue dragonfly circling her son, like Spyro's brother would circle him. Making sure her nephew was not showing pain, at the same time, watching his back and sides. Just like Sparx.

The young dragon and dragonfly pull up alongside the stalled dragoness, in the long hallway and look at her with wonderment.

"What's wrong Mom!" Sparx asks with a bit of concern, seeing a strange smile upon her face. Cynder turns her attention to Sapphire, and quickly the baby dragonfly becomes worried herself, flying behind her nephew's horn to hide. The dark dragoness lowers her head all the way down to Sparx, getting between his horns to look at the trembling blue dragonfly.

"Nothing is wrong, Sparx..." She says giving Sapphire a wink of her eye. "...now that my sister is here to watch you."

Sapphire feels a boost of energy herself, flying out from behind Sparx' left horn. She postures next to the jaw of her new friend, her chest pushed out with pride hearing the confidence in her sister-in-law's voice.

Cynder turns her head gently to follow the flight of her tiny sister-in-law, never taking her eyes off this young dragonfly, and experiencing a strong sensation of déjà vu. The young mother again looks at her son, with a great smile, feeling confident that he will always have his little guardian angel.

Her sparkling green eyes close with great emotion, and Cynder raises her head back up, turning towards her mother and father-in-law,

"Thank You for bringing her here today..." She says, opening her eyes to show Nina and Flash her tearful appreciation. "...she has brought spirit to my baby, and for that I am grateful."

The two dragonflies float closer to the humbled dragoness, and place their small hands upon her muzzle.

"His spirit was already inside of him, Cynder..." Flash says, stroking the side of her jaw, and focusing on her green eyes. Nina finishes her husband's thought with the same sure gaze he is giving her.

"...you're sister just helped to bring it out."

Standing in the hallway, near the newly constructed cooking area, a sudden scent smacks Sparx in the nose, and this show of great emotion can do nothing against the grumbling stomach of the little dragon. The sound of her son's deep inhales, catches Cynder's attention, and she turns to watch Sparx come to life a different way.

"Is that what I think it is!" The young dragon remarks with a deep yearning in his voice. His nose pointed up in the air, collecting an incredible aroma with every powerful sniff. His eyes focus up to his mother, and his mouth begins to water.

It has been years since the young dragon has had Cynder's cooking, and actually remembers the last time he enjoyed something he ate. It is at this moment, he can smell that very aroma coming from the back of the cave.

Without another word, Sparx is down the remainder of the hallway, coming to a stop at a large opening. His mother, quickly by his side to keep watch of her ill-feeling child, but also to see his face when he catches a glimpse of her work.

Twenty large pots sitting in a massive pit of burning coals, filling the huge room with the odor of their delicious contents.

"I know how much you liked this stew, when you were a whelpling..." Cynder says, staring down at Sparx, and seeing his expression of joy. A faint smile crosses her face, and she lowers her left paw to cup Sparx' jaw in her palm. Cynder gets muzzle to muzzle with her son, and the young mother's smile gets larger.

"...and this time...I didn't have to fight for it!"

Sparx smiles, and removes his jaw from Cynder's palm, placing it against the side of her lowered muzzle. He rubs his cheeks gently with hers and looks around the massive room they are standing in. His eyes focusing on the many pots, boiling away on the hot coals.

"I know I haven't eaten that much lately Mom..." He says, then backs away slightly to show Cynder his joking eyes. "..but I'm not that hungry!"

Cynder chuckles, and returns her muzzle against his.

"Your father has invited several important guests, and I wanted them to enjoy a good meal." She replies, then looks over to the large amount of food she is cooking. "I just hope it puts them in as good a mood as it does you Sparx!"

The young dragon again jerks back, not fully understanding, but then suddenly realizing something more important. He was so captured in the many moments of being in his new surroundings, that the young dragon forgot the most important thing in his life.

"Where is Dad?" He asks, looking around suddenly, and Cynder smiles feeling the anxiousness for his father.

"It's a secret." She replies sarcastically, looking over to Nina and Flash with a smile.

Both dragonflies give the same smirk, knowing where their son is, and also with whom his is training. They, and the three Guardian Dragons, are the only inhabitants of Avalar that know Malefor is even alive.

Sparx looks at his mother with a bit of anger, hearing that she is keeping a secret from him, and Cynder cannot help but laugh.

"He will be home tonight, to tell you all about it..." she says, with a joy-filled expression, and Sparx cannot help but perk his own attitude up with everyone of Cynder's words.

"..I'm sure you will like this surprise..." She remarks still smiling, but her smile slowly fades, and Cynder once again looks at the large amount of food cooking in her new kitchen. "...but I just hope everyone else does."

Cynder lowers her head against her son's once again, holding him tighter in her paws.

"You Father is putting his neck out on the line tonight!"

Sparx eyes show a bit of worry, hearing his mother's concern, however, in his heart, he knows what this means and cannot contain himself.

"He's coming here!" Sparx' yelps, then quickly hushes his voice, not knowing that Nina and Flash have knowledge of Malefor, and seeing his mother's features show anger from his outburst.

"Sapphire!" Cynder barks still staring at her son. She turns her eyes towards her sister-in-law, showing her a more gentle gaze. "Could you go in the living room for a moment please...we need to do some adult talking."

Sapphire flies up to Cynder's eyes showing her sister anger of her own. The little dragonfly crosses her arms and looks back at her nephew with a bit of disgust.

"He's only three weeks old, and I'm over a year old..." She barks believing she is making a great argument. "...so if he can stay so can I!"

Cynder's eyes now show her the same anger she was showing Sparx, and the little dragonfly hastily unfolds her arms and begins flapping her wings. In a blue blaze, Sapphire is down the hallway, and into the living room. Sparx watches as his little protector leaves him hanging, and he returns his eyes back to his scowling mother. However, Cynder can see she is making her son nervous, and is fast to reassure him that he did nothing wrong.

"It's OK Sparx...and the answer to your question is yes..." The young mother says, then looks over at the two dragonflies hovering beside her left ear. "...Malefor is coming tonight!"

The young mother is befuddled seeing her son lower his head a bit, and a slight frown crossing his face.

"What is Sparx?" She asks "I thought you'd be happy!"

The young dragon looks up at his mother and Grandparents, then lowers his head again.

"I thought he didn't want to see me anymore..." He remarks in a deeply depressed voice. "...he never came to visit me when I almost died in that swamp."

Sparx turns his head back up to show his mother the deep pain in his eyes.

"Why didn't he come..." He says with tears dripping to the ground from his cheeks. "...does he think I don't love him anymore, because my Dad was the one that rescued me...BECAUSE THAT'S STUPID!"

Cynder wraps her son up in her arms, trying to comfort him, and stopping his emotional breakdown.

"No Sparx...he loves you, believe me..." She says, stroking her paw down his back. "...he just didn't want to break this family apart."

Cynder, yanks her son before her tear-filled eyes, and shows him the most convincing stare she has ever shown to her son.

"But I told him there was no way that he could every break this family apart..."

"Ms. Cynder, a dragon approaches..." barks a voice from behind, and the dark dragoness is spun around from her son, to a young Cheetah warrior now standing before her. She is startled for only a moment, but quickly remembers this youngster is Hunter's son, one of the very important guests coming tonight, and that he was keeping watch for her.

"How many are coming, Stryder..." She replies, returning her thoughts to a very special group that is coming from the city, and her eyes look at the vast amount of pots boiling away on the fire. "...I'm pretty sure I made enough food, but I..."

"There is only one..." He barks again, cutting her off with a bit of worry in his voice. "...and he is not coming from the north!"

Cynder's eyes open wide with distress, and her heart begins to pound in her chest. She can see the despair in Stryder's sharp eyes, immediately knowing and fearing the worst.

"What color is he..." She remarks, and Stryder is quick to answer before she finishes, hearing the fear in her voice, and knowing all about this particular dragon. He knows his Father's own hatred of this dragon, and the fact that he has vowed revenge upon Spyro's wife.

"Two-tone brown, with black wings, Ms. Cynder..." He remarks, then looks down seeing his words strike a deeper fear into the dark dragoness' eyes. "...it's definitely Tycor!"

* * *

><p><strong>Well there is your new character, and just wait till you see what he brings to the table.<strong>

**Pronounced (Tie-Kore), this dragon is going to make you angry with his callous actions, and I can't wait to start writing about them.**

**Hope you are enjoying, and let me know what you think so far. I love the support, and all it does is make me want to write faster.**


	23. Transfer of Power

**Just gotta say thank you to everyone again. T****his is the most views in one month for me, and we still have a week to go in February. **

**Well time to meet the new dragon, Tycor, and realize that he is not a nice guy. However, you do have to understand his feelings...I would!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 23 Transfer of Power<p>

"SPYRO, Son of Flash...get out here NOW!"

Sweat begins to bead on Cynder's forehead, hearing the angered voice from outside her home. It is the dragon she fears now more than Malefor, the same dragon that forced Spyro to jump into action as Cynder apologized for her past. She did nothing on her own to stop his vicious assault, believing she deserved to die for her past life, but now with her son standing by her side, a new life faces her, and death is the last thing on Cynder's mind.

"Who is Tycor, Mom?" Sparx asks with fearful curiosity, seeing his mother's emotions flip in an instant.

Cynder turns her head to her son, and her eyes show a deep regret she does not want to speak about. Her green eyes close, not to show her son the deep feeling of pain within them, and she places her paw upon Sparx' head.

"He is angry with me, and rightfully so..." She says, opening her eyes again, after seeing a disturbing vision from her past. "..I did something horrible to him Sparx, and I always believed that I deserve to be punished for it..."

She stares down at her son, and feels overwhelmed by her own thoughts, then begins to cry uncontrollably.

"...but I know now it really wasn't my fault...Was it?"

Sparx places his paw against his mother's flank, with tears now flowing from his eyes. The young dragon quickly understands, this Tycor is here because of his mother's early days under the Dark Master's control.

"No Mom...you are not that evil dragon any longer." He says confidently. "I don't even know how you could have been that dragon, because of the way..."

"SPYROOOOO! You Coward...COME FACE ME!" The voice howls from the valley again, and Cynder and Sparx jump with the piercing sound of his call.

The young dragon pauses for a second, seeing his mother as fearful as the day he went out to forage on his own, the day he lost her for six years.

"I should speak to him Mom, and tell him you are no longer..."

"NO!" Cynder barks with anger, cutting Sparx off, and staring at her son with a dead seriousness. "You will stay here...DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"

Sparx lowers down to his stomach with the sound of his mother angered voice, and his tears flow a bit faster.

"But Mom..."

"NO SPARX!" She yells even louder, grabbing his muzzle tightly, making sure her point is driven home.

"This dragon cannot be allowed to see you..." She remarks knowing Sparx age, and the reason he's as old as he is. "...he will kill you!"

As a very large eight old, Sparx could easily be seen as an older dragon, and considering where Cynder was ten years ago. It would be easy for most to think he was not Spyro's son...this would make an already difficult situation much worse.

Most knew Cynder was pregnant, but not many know of what has happened in the last month, and is another reason for this important dinner. A way to show off their new son, and explain how he is nearly an adolescent already.

The dark purple and red dragoness stares at Stryder, a five-year old cheetah, and already a fierce warrior.

"Don't let him out of your sight, Stryder!" She barks at the only one capable of keeping her son in check.

Being a cheetah, and growing at a faster rate, he is roughly a head taller than Sparx at his young age. He has also learned much from his father, and is quite cunning and powerful for such a young warrior. With a quick fierce stare at Sparx, he returns his hawk-like eyes to the young dragon's mother.

"Yes Ms. Cynder!" He replies, and returns his eyes to the two-toned son of Spyro.

The dark dragoness then turns her attention to her in-laws, she gives them a stern look with her green eyes.

"Mom...Dad...call the Portal Station and get your son back here now!" She pleads, and both Flash and Nina nod their heads, taking off down the hallway towards the living room and the communications system.

Cynder then takes a step towards the front of the cave herself, and Sparx grabs her hind leg as she leaves. He has no clue why his mother will not let him go, believing it is only because he is weak.

"Mom..." He says with deep emotion. "...please let me come with you...I can help...I swear I feel better!"

Cynder stops her stride, reaching down for her child, and lifting him up in her arms.

"I know you feel strong, baby..." She says, wiping the tears from his eyes, then also her own. "...but this dragon is much stronger...he may even be stronger then your father."

"Then you shouldn't go out there alone either!" Sparx remarks with a dead sternness in his voice, staring at his mother with fearful anger. "Why should YOU have to face him by yourself, if it wasn't YOUR fault?"

Cynder lowers her head, then places her son back on the ground. She stares at him wanting to say something, but just closes her eyes and continues her walk to the cave entrance.

"Mom! Wait!" Sparx yelps, taking a step of his own to follow, however, he suddenly feels a solid grip on his left wing.

"You're not going anywhere!" Stryder remarks with a calm voice, holding the base of Sparx' wing tightly. "You will stay right here, as Ms. Cynder ordered!"

Sparx looks at the stern eyes of the young cheetah warrior, then cranes his head around to see the grip he has on his wing.

"If you want to lose that paw..." Sparx replies, then returns his eyes sharply back to Stryder's "...keep holding my wing!"

The young cheetah shows no intimidation in his gaze, or in his response as a slight smile crosses his face.

"Give it your best shot...little fella!"

* * *

><p>Deep in the woods, Spyro, with the shredded membrane of his left wing, is running as fast as he can. The purple dragon sped off, hearing the word that his family is in danger, not waiting for Malefor or Gaven to follow. He blazes a trail through the dense forest towards the underground portal station, nearly a mile away, angry at himself for leaving his wrist communicator behind during training.<p>

"I should have been back already..." The purple dragon yells at himself, picking up the pace of his stride, and focusing his eyes on the large hill off in the distance. "...How could I be so stupid!"

His heart is pounding in his chest, and not from the overexertion of his body, but the thought that has bothered him for a week.

Spyro is sure that his son is in extreme danger now, and not from some outside influence, but from within. The young father is consumed with a deep fear, remembering the moment he almost lost his son in the swamp. This combined with the fact that he agrees with Malefor's assessment of the Dark Master not being dead, scares the young father. He tries to convince himself as he runs though a grove of dense foliage.

"_It can't be him..."_ Spyro says to himself, knowing that Sparx had no memory of walking from the Portal Station and into the swamp.

"_...I remember everything that happened to me, so does my wife and Malefor."_

Suddenly a loud rustling noise, comes from the tree tops above him, and Spyro is hit from behind before he can turn his head. A large arm is wrapped around his chest, and quickly he is lift off his feet. Spyro is startled for a moment as his frame is brought up over the tree line, and quickly realizes by the purple arm grabbing his chest, that it is Malefor, and he is hastily heading towards the Portal Station.

"We have no time for you to run the whole way!" Barks the large dragon, and Spyro relaxes slightly knowing he will get home faster now.

Spyro slightly turns his head, and is even more surprised to see Gaven in Malefor's other arm. The old Master's eyes closed with a deathly fear.

"Damn it Malefor..." Gaven screams, like a little girl. "... how about a warning when you drop from the sky like that...and slow down for heaven sakes!"

"My son is trouble, Master Gaven..." Spyro remarks to his superior, with anger, even knowing his friend's fear of heights. "...I don't think he going fast enough."

Gaven's eyes open wide, focusing on Spyro.

"Who said anything about your son being in trouble, General..." Gaven barks with his own anger. "...if you would have let me finish, I would have told you what was going on."

Malefor stops in mid-flight with his own anxiousness, and wanting to hear why the Portal Master came out to get Spyro in such a hurry.

"So what the hell is happening then, Gaven" Malefor barks, before Spyro can open his mouth "Why did you tell us his family was in danger!"

"Because they are...you idiot!" He replies, staring dead into Malefor's eyes, but then looks back to Spyro.

"Tycor is in the Valley of Avalar!"

Spyro's eyes open wide with that name, and he turns his frightened expression to Malefor. The large purple dragon can hear Spyro's fear in his voice.

"Cynder!" He says very faintly, and Malefor can see the fear for his wife, building in Spyro's eyes

"GO NOW MALEFOR!"

Before Spyro can finish his call to move, Malefor shoots off towards the underground station at breakneck speed. The large dragon, carrying two full-sized beings, still covers the distance in seconds, and smashes through the North door into the station.

"That was not very smart!" Gaven remarks as the alarms begin to blare throughout the station, and he looks at Malefor with a bit of anger.

"Sorry Gaven...I'll fix them..." He retorts, weaving through the narrow corridors, and keeping his fast pace. A smile crosses the large dragon's muzzle as he banks his last turn, heading for the double doors of the Main Room. "...I guess I'll have to fix these as well."

Gaven and Spyro lower their heads as the large dragon destroys yet another set of innocent doors.

Malefor opens his wings wide, as he enters the large room, slowing his momentum, and raising up towards the chandelier. The large dragon banks around the massive light fixture, and lowers to the ground next to Gaven's steel desk. As his paws hit the ground, he places the Portal Master's butt in his chair, then leaps back over the desk towards the center of the room.

"Come on already..." Spyro barks with anxiousness, still being held in Malefor's arm, and waiting for a portal to open.

"I cannot open the portal until I shut down the alarms." The Portal Master replies, burning his fingers across his control panel. Spyro turns his head to look at Malefor, and he can see an embarrassed look cross the older dragon's face.

"Sorry, Spyro...I didn't know!" He says, then looks back at Gaven with his own anxiousness. Hoping the Portal Master can fix his dumb mistake quickly.

Within seconds, the alarms in the station begin to silence, and Gaven turns his attention to a different keyboard. His hand screaming across the controls to open a portal directly into Spyro's home. A slight flicker begins to appear before both purple dragons, and Malefor readies himself to leap through. However, before he does, both are struck with a strange sensation in their bones, and Malefor can feel it much stronger then Spyro.

Suddenly another alarm blares from Gaven's desk, and the Portal Master's attention is taken quickly to his left, and another one of his display screen.

"BY THE ANCESTORS!" The old giant remarks with fear, and his eyes turn to Spyro and Malefor.

"What?" the purple hero remarks anxiously, wriggling out of Malefor's grasp, and running back to Gaven's desk. His eyes showing great fear, just having felt a familiar Dark energy.

"Spyro, look at this!" He says, and the purple dragon is by his side in the blink of an eye. Malefor also returns to see what is going on, and all three lock their eyes on the same display screen. It shows a massive release of power, coming from Avalar.

"Who is that?" Gaven remarks, and Malefor looks at Spyro with a deadly realization. He knows that energy like his own, having spent two thousand years under its control.

"I'm sorry Gaven...your brother failed." Malefor replies, then looks at Spyro with frightened eyes. "The Dark Master is alive...and now we know where he has been hiding."

* * *

><p>Cynder slowly strides into the living room, and turns her head to the right. She can see the screen of the communication system flicker out, and is anticipating a portal to open. However, her father-in-law's voice is all she hears, and it not what she was hoping to hear.<p>

"He's training with Malefor, and is not wearing his communicator, Cynder!" Flash says with his fear building up, knowing about this dragon's vendetta. "Gaven said he'll go personally to find him, but it might take a couple of minutes."

He can see his daughter-in-law's eyes go blank, and his heart can feel her pain. Without another word, the large blue dragonfly, heads for the cave entrance.

"NO!" Both Nina and Cynder shout, but Flash is quickly through the mouth of the cave. Mother and daughter-in-law follow quickly behind, stopping by the entrance, and staying out of sight for the moment.

Tycor begins laughing, seeing only a dragonfly emerging from the cave, but knowing who this particular dragonfly is.

"WHAT IS THIS!" He yells at the cave entrance, seeing the scurrying of feet in the shadows. "Did you send your father to tell me to go away!"

Flash gives him a scowl, as he flies up to the large dragon, the anger inside of him boiling over. The blue dragonfly shows no intimidation in his eyes, even though Tycor is roughly the size of Malefor.

A massive dragon in stature, and as solid as the Earth element he masters. Before the war, this young dragon was already ear-marked to replace Terrador when he stepped down.

He is dark brown with a diamond-back patten of black scales, that match his wing color, running the length of his body. However, his chest scales are light tan, almost gold, a color slightly darker than Spyro's, and pushed out with the strength he possesses.

"My son is not at home...and you are upsetting my wife." The small dragonfly remarks, flying up to the muzzle of this huge beast. "So if you don't mind..."

"...KEEP QUITE!"

Tycor is flabbergasted for a moment, at the small dragonfly's demands, but then his anger returns in the next breath. His eyes cross, focusing dead at the little dragonfly, as he lifts his front paw, and flicks the little creature with a talon.

Cynder and Nina gasp at his actions, and Tycor can hear them being so close to the cave entrance, The dark dragoness readies to charge, but her mother-in-law zips in front of her face, stopping her before the first step. She saw that her husband never hit the ground, and is already back in Tycor's face.

"Are you kidding me?" The large dragon remarks with a bit of anger. "If you want to die...I have no problem with granting your wish."

Flash does not back down from his threat, getting closer to his face.

"And, If you want my son to KILL you, when he gets back..." He says with a deeper anger. "...by all means...DO IT!"

Cynder watches as an evil grin crosses Tycor's blunt muzzle, and he draws up on his hind legs rearing his paw back to strike.

"NO!" She screams leaping past Nina, and into the light of day. "Don't you dare!"

His dark brown eyes, quickly focus on her, and he lowers back to the ground taking a stride closer to his ultimate target.

"Well... well... well... so you've decide to show yourself...Terror of the Sky!"

Cynder lowers her head, hearing that name again, then returns her focus upon him.

"I can't let you do that to Spyro's family..." The dark dragoness says somberly, turning her eyes to look at Flash. "...he's not the one that killed your parents...I am!"

Cynder returns her eyes to Tycor, and she can see a quick change in his emotion, from his pure angry stare, to a slight glare of satisfaction in his eyes, watching Cynder humble herself before him.

"I'm sorry, Tycor..." She says tearfully. "...I don't deserve to live for what I did to you..."

Cynder looks at the blue dragonfly she was proud to call her father, realizing how much is at stake, and the dark dragoness gives into his demands.

"...do what your here for..." She says, seeing him inch closer to the entrance of the cave where her child is, and knowing he must not see him. She takes a step closer to the massive tan and black dragon, walking away from her home, and hoping he will do as she asks.

"...if you want to kill me...just get over with... then leave this place."

Tycor begins to laugh, moving closer to the cave entrance, Cynder mirroring his advance until they are face to chest. The much taller Tycor lowers his head down to look deep into Cynder's eyes, and his words send a cold chill down her spine.

"I don't want to kill you any longer..." He says balling up his left paw into a fist. "...I want you to suffer, like I did."

Tycor swings his arm to the side, smashing Flash with an unsuspecting blow of his stone power, sending the little dragonfly careening into the cave. His tiny body slamming against the wall, across from his wife, and falling to the ground without motion.

"YOU BASTARD!" Cynder screams, as her eyes turn pure white, and her scales darken from the call of her Fury.

Cynder swings her tail around at great force, and strikes Tycor in the center of his chest with its long bladed tip. However, his incredible element is breed throughout his body, and Cynder's blade barely penetrates Tycor's rock hard scales. Her green eyes return in an instant, feeling completely outmatched, knowing that one of her most deadliest strikes did nothing but draw a single drop of blood, and an arrogant laugh.

Tycor grasps Cynder's tail with his left paw, and her neck with his right. He lifts the young dragoness easily with his great strength, and holds her muzzle to muzzle.

"That is but only one to grieve for, Terror of the Sky..." He says coldly, turning his attention to the green dragonfly, aiding her injured husband. "...by the end of this day...you will understand my grief."

Inside the cave, two young warriors are still testing each other. Neither have gotten vicious, but both have laid down some pretty impressive blows. Sparx appears to be winning this battle, as he continually gets closer to the living room. However, the commotion of Tycor's actions, can be heard by both dragon and cheetah, near the edge of the hall, and both youngster stop fighting abruptly.

They hear the cry that Nina made, and can see her hovering over her husband. However, that is not what gets Sparx' attention. It is the crying to his right, coming from the corner of the living room. A little blue dragonfly, that saw more than she should have.

"Daddy!" Sapphire cries, and Sparx can feel an overwhelming anger building inside. Stryder's eyes open with shock, as Sparx becomes consumed with rage, viciously tossing him to the side with ease, and heading for the cave entrance.

Cynder, grasped in Tycor's rock solid choke hold, is helpless to stop the inevitable. She watches his mouth open wide, spewing his magic, and firing a rock projectile towards her parents.

"Go Nina!" Flash remarks with the pain in his body, seeing this large stone heading for his wife.

Nina turns her head to see her oncoming fate, but does not leave her husband's side. She closes her eyes and holds Flash's hand, willing to die with her love.

The feel of a strong breeze, and the sound of a loud impact, makes Nina jump, but she quickly becomes confused feeling nothing. Her eyes open with surprise, seeing the two-toned colored scales of her grandson's back, his gold wings spread wide to shield them from any debris.

Tycor, jumps himself, seeing Spyro for a moment, but then his eyes focus as the dust settles from his blocked shot.

"Who the hell is that..." He remarks, turning Cynder's head violently to see her son.

"NO ONE!" She gasps, but the young dragon answers his question with a stern demand of his own.

"GET YOUR DAMN PAWS OFF MY MOTHER!"

The large brown dragon does a double-take, and loses his train of thought. He knew Cynder was pregnant, as one of his objectives was to retrieve that egg, but seeing this very large child was not what he was expecting.

"Who's son is that?" Tycor asks with a snarling rage in his voice, tightening his grip around Cynder's neck.

"Spy...ro's!" She gasps, and Tycor increases his grip.

"YOU'RE LYING!" He barks, and hurls her to the ground on her back. Tycor focuses his eyes on the young dragon, placing his right front paw on Cynder's chest, holding her back to the ground.

"That is Malefor's child, and I know it!" Tycor yells, and presses his weight down upon her chest.

"NO...My father is Spyro the Dragon!" The young whelpling barks, with pride in his bloodline. "...and I will show you my father's power if you don't get let her go...RIGHT NOW!"

Tycor stares the young dragon down with no fear, and curls his talons into Cynder's chest plate. His mother screams in agony, and Sparx becomes irate.

His eyes flash RED, and Tycor becomes a bit startled.

The young dragon's body becomes a flash of lightning, slamming into the unsuspecting Tycor, and paralyzing him with a vast amount of energy, however this energy also flows into Cynder, and she screams uncontrollably in pain again. Sparx stops his onslaught with her yelp, falling to the ground as his normal self.

All three dragons lay motionless before the cave entrance.

"_How the hell did I get to Avalar?"_ He asks himself, looking around and noticing his surroundings immediately. _"And why can't I move?"_

Again his eyes wander, looking around, not knowing what has happened the last three weeks, and why he is only remembering bits and pieces.

Finally seeing Cynder beginning to move, he realizes that his choice may not have been so smart.

"_I must get out of here...I can't control him...I'm too weak!"_

His eyes search again, seeing the other dragon beginning to stir, and retaking his feet. He watches intently as the large two-toned brown dragon approaches, and smiles wide.

"What are you smiling at kid..." Tycor remarks to the smirking dragon, showing his anger and rage to the wrong person. "...I'm gonna make you suffer for that!"

However, Tycor is startled again, as the young dragon calmly stares him down and replies.

"You will do fine!"

Without another word, Sparx' muzzle opens wide, and huge blast of energy is fired at the larger dragon. The valley begins to shake from the output of power, and Tycor is frozen from an overwhelming surge to his body.

"Yes!" Tycor softly remarks, just before passing out once again, however, Sparx losses consciousness as well from such a release of energy.

The brown dragon stays down for only a second, and opening his eyes to a new look on the world. He retakes his feet with an odd smile on his face, looking around, flexing his neck and muscles, enjoying his new body.

Tycor stares at Cynder, and smiles, knowing she has no clue who he really is.

"I was going to take him for my own Cynder..." he says callously, striding over to the unconscious dragon. "...but I know that now, that I can never control him!"

Tycor looks at Cynder, with a great deal of arrogance

"So...I think I'll just kill him!"

The young mother, again turns jet black, leaping at the large dragon with malice intent, however, with a quick swat of his powerful right paw, Cynder is slammed back to the ground. Tycor turns his head towards the fallen dragoness, and launches a sharp spike from his mouth. The stone nail spears Cynder's right wing, holding her to the ground.

"Now you can watch helplessly like I was forced to...when you killed my family!"

Cynder struggles to move, but cannot pull her wing from the ground, and can see Tycor raise his tail up in the air. With a large mace-like ball attached to the end, Cynder's tear-filled green eyes can only watch it gain height, readying to strike the final blow against her child.

The Dark Master turns his head to experience the horror of Cynder's expression, as he swings the spiked ball of his new body's tail, towards her son. However, he is shocked as it comes to an abrupt stop, and a wave of wind hits his chest from someone arriving at great speed. He turns his attention to his target, and a smile crosses his face.

"Hello Spyro..." He remarks, seeing the pure purple and gold dragon standing before him now, and the portal he came through several paces behind. "...nice of you to join us, finally!"

The look of an angry father does nothing to intimidate the larger dragon, and Spyro turns his attention to the others laying around him in pain, including his father.

"You have no shame, do you Tycor?" Spyro says with a deep feeling of regret, knowing this dragon is bitter for all the right reasons, but is now expressing his rage against the wrong people. Sadness begins to fill his heart for what he must do to protect his home.

"So...you've decided to go after her family now..." He says softly, feeling a deep depression in his heart. Spyro's purple eyes disappear showing only his glowing white irises.

"...well I'm part of her family, and I will defend my family to the death if necessary!"

The purple dragon looks down at his son with quick concern from his motionless form, however a sudden smile crosses Spyro's face, as he can feel an almost inner peace within Sparx...a calmness he has not felt in his boy since before going to the Red Planet.

The purple dragon looks back up at his taller foe, and their eyes lock. Roughly an inch tall then Cynder now, Spyro is chest level with massive dragon as well, but shows not intimidation whatsoever from Tycor's size.

The large dragon can see the white-hot anger in the young father's pupil-less stare, but Spyro can see something else is his eyes.

Without warning, the purple dragon lowers his head, and slams Tycor in the chest, propelling him back away from his home. The two powerful creatures lock up in a scuffle rolling into the river that flows before the cave.

"Spyro!" Cynder yelps from the ground, trying to pull her wing free, desperate to finally help her husband in this fight against Tycor. But Cynder cannot budge the large spike from her wing, without tearing the membrane apart painfully, and she watches in horror as Tycor takes the upper hand quickly.

After training with Malefor, Spyro is exhausted, but he still thought he had enough power to defeat a mere stone dragon, with ease. However, this is not the case, feeling the strength coming from the large brown paws, wrapped around his body, he never felt before for Tycor, and confirming his thoughts.

Spyro is thrashed around violently against the rocks of the fast flowing river, then Tycor slams his front paw down on the purple dragon's throat. He wedges him between two large stones underwater, not allowing Spyro's nose to reach the air. The purple dragon struggles to free himself, but the Earth dragon's weight is too much to lift for the weakened hero.

Suddenly, Tycor is slammed in the side of the face with a mass of pure poison, and he is knock off his feet by the toxic goo that now coats his body. The large stone dragon falls over into the fast-moving river, allowing Spyro to pull his head up for air, however as his nose clears the water, he inhales the remnants of the powerful attack.

"CYNDER!" He chokes trying to breathe, but is startled to hear a different voice.

"Sorry Spyro!" Malefor's distorted voice squawks, and the purple dragon quickly sees the bent light of his new friend's frame. "I didn't mean..."

Malefor stops talking as Tycor emerges from the water, not allowing him to hear his voice. The evil dragon staring at Cynder with anger, believing this attack came from her, laying only a few yards from the river.

"How dare you..." Is all he can say before Spyro is on him again, pushing his head back under the water, and staring back at the light bending form of Malefor.

"Get them in the cave!" He says quickly, feeling Tycor power his head back up from the silencing sound of the water. The purple hero uses the remainder of his strength to force Tycor down once more, if only for a second.

"It's him!" Spyro yelps quickly, giving Malefor a clue of what he has discovered, and hoping the old dragon understands.

Tycor rips his head from Spyro's grasp, pulling it up out of the water, and following it up with his solid right fist. Unseen by the splashing water, this fist finds its mark on Spyro's unsuspecting jaw, lifting the purple dragon out of the water with great force. The smaller dragon spins violently from the impact, landing on the other side of the river from his home. Spyro locks his eyes on Cynder, and see the distortion of light in the form of Malefor, heading for his wife and son, and quickly he focuses back to the brown and black dragon standing in the river before him.

Spyro can see Tycor begin to turn his head as well, to look back at his other targets, making sure they have not run. He quickly fires an Ice projectile, slamming the large dragon in the side of his neck, forcing him to look back in his direction.

"I'm over here, little whelpling..." Spyro barks with anger. "You better get rid of me first, before thinking of what's over there!"

Tycor, turns back to Spyro, and the purple dragon smiles, seeing his attention return to him.

"So, you want to die first..." He remarks, flapping his wings, and pulling himself out of the river. "...I CAN ACCOMMODATE YOU!"

The snake patterned dragon opens his blunt muzzle, releasing a barrage of fast-moving stone pebbles, peppering the ground with thousands of these bullet-like rocks.

Spyro rolls to his feet and tries to run, but cannot avoid being pelted by the fast-moving stones raining down from the sky. They tear through his scales, embedding themselves in his back and hind legs, forcing him to stumble back to the ground in pain.

The purple dragon, lying on his stomach, turns his head to look for his attacker, and is surprised by Tycor's left leg already approaching his face. The impact to his muzzle is devastating, breaking his jaw on contact, and sending the purple dragon careening across the ground into the canyon wall that circles the entire valley.

Tycor is quickly on Spyro before he can regain his focus, grabbing the purple dragon by the throat, and lifting him in the air. He slams his back against the wall, raising his right paw, and slashing Spyro across his broken muzzle with his razor-sharp talons. The purple dragon's head is slammed to the right, and his left eye is painfully blinded by the vicious assault, however he catches a glow of power with his limited vision, and Spyro knows he must get away now. With every last bit of magic he can muster, Spyro lights up his body like a plasma ball, shooting a vast amount of electricity through Tycor's arm, and forcing him to let go. He quickly slams the stunned dragon in the face with his tail, and takes off running into the woods to his right, away from his home.

This was his quick plan, keep Tycor preoccupied with him and not with what is going on behind him, allowing his new friend to rescue his wife and son. The purple hero knows, as hurt as he is now, it would be foolish for the Earth dragon to let him get away, and this would be the best way to get this evil monster away from his family.

However, he was not expecting to take a beating like this, and is now slightly worried that his plan is going to backfired on him.

Spyro limps painfully into the tree line, and can hear the charging footsteps approaching from behind. "Good..." He remarks, knowing he is only twenty yards from salvation, and the real reason he is not feeling completely helpless. "...come follow me!"

Spyro burrows through the dense foliage of his front yard, knowing every little piece of real estate in HIS valley, especially where to go for power.

"I'M NOT PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK WITH YOU!" Tycor barks with anger, and Spyro can feel the ground rumble under his paws.

Suddenly the forest behind him crumbles as the ground vibrates with great force, Spyro turns around to see a wave of stone approaching, leveling everything in its path. The earth jolts up under his paws, and Spyro is catapulted into the air, slamming him into a large tree.

As the small patch of forest clears before him, Tycor can see the purple dragon hurled up against the large oak, forcing it to fall over from Spyro's impact, and not because of his earth tsunami. A smile crosses his face watching the purple dragon fall over the edge of a cliff, limply, along with the tree his purple frame felled.

"Well, that wasn't too hard now was it!" Tycor remarks to himself, flapping his wings to gain flight, and heading over to make sure the deed has been done. However, his eyes catch a glimpse of flashing red and green light, and his ears can hear the sounds of laughter.

As he crests the cliff, allowing him to see down the into the small canyon near the Twilight falls, the Dark Dragon can see...this is going to be harder.

Spyro looks up at him, standing on his hind legs, and blacker then the Ace of Spades. His body surrounded in a cyclone of shattered crystals, pumping his body with ancestral energy, and allowing the black dragon to fill his magic properly for the first time in three weeks. The glowing black dragon takes a deep soothing breath, as Tycor lands before him, and a smile crosses Spyro's muzzle.

He swings his tail just as both crystals beside him regenerate themselves again, knowing exactly how long it takes for these particular gems to grow.

Spyro takes in another incredible boost of power, and his body begins to regenerate as well. Tycor watches with an annoyed expression, as the scars across Spyro's left eye disappear, and the dark dragon before him arrogantly winks that eye, as it heals completely.

"Do you really want to do this?" Spyro growls with anger, staring at this evil dragon with his now deadly stern eyes. His voice becoming arrogant with the return of his full power "Because I can accommodate you!"

"So...you really want to die today...huh!" Tycor replies, and his eyes flash with power. The evil dragon draws on his energy, and opens his muzzle wide.

Suddenly a large rock projectile, slams to the ground, startling both fighters.

"Enough of this Tycor!" Terrador barks from the air, and readies to launch another attack if necessary. Hovering beside him is Cyril and Volteer, also ready to launch elemental attacks of their own, knowing the strength of this particular dragon.

Tycor powers down, for the moment, seeing the three Guardian Dragons of Avalar.

"Do not disobey the word of the Guardians, Tycor..." Terrador remarks as he lands between the posturing dragons, staring dead into the eyes of one his subjects. "...or regardless of your great family's heritage...I will banish you from the dragon city, and sieze everything your father had fought for!"

Tycor lowers his head hearing these words, and his senses are shaken by his sudden surroundings, however he can see Spyro, and this deep rage inside he cannot control begins to boil again.

"There will be another time Spyro!" He remarks, but Cyril is quick to respond to this threat.

"You will do nothing of the kind, young dragon..." he barks sternly, lowering beside Terrador, and staring at him with his piercing blue eyes. "...if you go near this dragon again, not only will we take every thing you hold of value, but I will personally make sure you live out the rest of your days in a small cell made completely of ice."

Tycor draws his paw back, ready to strike the blue guardian, however, it is speared by an arrow, and the Earth dragon holds it out in pain. His eyes focusing on a cheetah warrior on the cleared cliff Spyro fell from, with a bow firmly in his paw.

"Hunter!" Barks the angry dragon, as he yanks the arrow from his paw, and looks back at this cheetah warrior with anger. He has come to despise Hunter over the last few years, for his love of Spyro's wife, and his willingness to protect her while Spyro was gone.

He can see he is out numbered, and feels an uncontrollable power to fight them all. However, he does not want to be banished from his home, but cannot fight this desire to seek revenge. With his thoughts pulling him in two different direction, the stone dragon breaks down with anger.

"She killed my Family...DAMN IT..." Tycor barks with emotion, staring at everyone around him. "...when do I get my justice?"

No one can give him an answer, and Spyro can feel pain inside for him.

"She didn't do it...my stone friend..." The purple dragon remarks, and walks between Cyril and Terrador up to the large dragon. Spyro's eyes lock on Tycor's, and knows all about his inner struggle, but does not let on that he knows.

"...the Dark Master killed your family, not Cynder."

Tycor lowers his head, feeling an impact in his words, the large master of stone knows the purple dragon is telling the truth, just by listening to his thoughts now. He can see some of the memories of the Dark Master inside his head, and the onslaught he just laid upon Spyro without remembering.

His eyes focus on the young purple dragon, and Spyro can see fear in his eyes, and a worry that he is losing himself.

However, it lasts for only a moment.

"NOOOO!" Tycor barks, thrusting a solid punch into Spyro's chest and forcing him back into the two guardians. The Earth master fires a large rock at the cliff under Hunter, then leaps into the air surprising Volteer with a powerful uppercut. The Cheetah warrior is forced to jump down from the crumbling cliff, and once again as he is almost crushed by the falling Electric Guardian's body.

"I want to know only one thing Spyro..." He barks down to the group of stunned dragons, from high above, building another powerful burst of energy in his muzzle. "...Why do you defend a dragon so valiantly, even when she caused you the same pain as I!"

Spyro, lying atop the two guardians he crashed into, stares back up at the dark dragon, and rises to his feet.

"What are you talking about?" He replies with a sudden chill down his spine, seeing the evil grin of the Dark Master upon this dragon's face.

"Just like me...Cynder made you an orphan...when she destroyed a small outer colony called Xanadu..." Tycor remarks with arrogance, being shown unknown memories in his head.

"...A place, that the elders believed, a dragon that laid such a priceless egg, should live the rest of its days with her family. However, it was destroyed soon after the assault on the palace, by a new dragon. A name was given to this beast, after her vicious display of power...The Terror of the Skies."

The stone dragon, recalls the moment he lost his entire family, shortly after, and looks at Spyro with his cold brown eyes, freezing the purple dragon in place.

"I vowed to destroy that abomination...and that is where we differ Spyro" He says staring down a the captived dragon's eyes. "...you honored your parents...by marrying the one that killed them!"

Tycor gets more than a boost of energy, seeing the scar he places on Spyro's heart, watching the purple dragon slouch down with a sick feeling in his stomach. He has done better than kill Cynder's true love...he has broken it.

Tycor's mouth opens wide, firing a large boulder at the three downed Guardians and Hunter.

"Spyro do something!" Terrador yelps pinned under Cyril, unable to get a clear shot, but the purple dragon remains frozen, staring at the ground.

Watching his stone projectile on target, and seeing Spyro lost in his thoughts, a large smile crosses Tycor's face. However, also seeing a large group coming in from the north, the dark dragon decides it's a good time to leave.

Tycor floats backward into a whirlwind of air created by the Twilight Falls, and heads up at incredible speed as the wind fills his massive wings. The tan dragon is up the falls in a blink of an eye, with a huge smile upon his muzzle. He has done more damage then he could have hoped for, leaving the Guardians to die, and Spyro to deal with Cynder on his own.

Another deep pulse of energy fills his heart, never having to look back, hearing the familiar sound of his rock magic smashing into the ground behind him. With haste, Tycor heads up the enclosed eastern river that leads into the Catacombs, and out of sight from the approaching entourage of elders.

* * *

><p><strong>OH NO. A new threat to Avalar is born, and wow...what a D**k he is. <strong>

**Can Spyro come to terms with this new truth? How flat are the Guardians? What time will dinner be served? **

**These are all very important questions that must be answered, and I guess I will do so and post again soon**

**Hope your enjoying. **


	24. A Diamond in the Rough

Chapter 24: A "Diamond" in the Rough

Running into the large sleeping chamber, to the right of the living room, Stryder has his bow drawn with arrow ready. His eyes locked upon the massive purple dragon his father has told him stories about, all of which gave him nightmares of a war for the ages.

His anger is flowing through his body, but his mind keeps focus, holding the arrow still, waiting for the optimum time to release. A father's dedicated training, yielding heavy dividends, as the young cheetah can feel the pressure to protect Cynder and her son, but not letting it bother his skills. Stealthily, he creeps along the far wall, slowly getting a better position to hit this dragon in a weaker section of his body, not through the tough scales of his back.

Malefor raises his right paw, exposing the perfect angle to his heart through the thinner scales under his arm, but Stryder has to hold his fire, seeing Cynder pulled into the arrow's path. However, his eyes open wide with great shock, and his bow slowly uncoils with the sight he cannot believe.

The large dragon curls his head down, and Stryder can see his left arm come around the other side of Cynder's body, holding her in a caring embrace.

"Trust me, he will be fine, Cynder..." The large dragon remarks looking down at the young son of Spyro, passed out from a release of all his energy. "...he has his Father's determination...and his Mother's spirit..."

Stryder, in complete surprise, watches as Malefor now cradles the dark dragoness' muzzle in his right paw, holding her chin up, and smiling at the tear-filled eyes of his former subject. He can hear a sincerity in his voice, that his father said nothing about, and feeling the large dragon's pleasure in comforting Cynder.

"...however, I must go and help Spyro." He continues, turning his body towards the young cheetah, and Stryder can tell he will be spotted in a moment. Before he loses the crucial element of surprise, the wise youngster makes his presence known under his terms.

"Don't move or I'll kill you, Dark Master!" Stryder barks, leaping out into the light, drawing his bow back again, and holding position before the room's exit.

"I wanna know what is going on here?"

Cynder and Malefor are startled by his presence, and quickly both turn their attention to him. The large purple dragon steps in front of the young mother and her son, making sure he is the only one in his line of sight.

"Easy young warrior..." He replies, keeping his eyes focused on Stryder. "...I am only here to help."'

"YOUR LYING!" The young cheetah replies, drawing his arrow back further.

"NO!" Cynder yelps, trying to round the large purple dragon, but Malefor holds her put, seeing panic build in Stryder's eyes.

"I am not lying young cheetah, and if you truly don't believe me..." Malefor remarks calmly, looking dead into the frightened expression of his attacker. The large dragon raises his head, showing this cunning little warrior the soft scales under his jaw

"...then you should take this shot, now!"

Malefor steps forward, keeping his jaw up, never taking his eyes from Stryder's. He watches intently, to the young cheetah's reaction, getting closer and closer, and finally lowering his head down to the point of Stryder's drawn arrow, staring him eye to eye.

"I am only here to help, young warrior..." Malefor says confidently, closing his eyes, and keeping his vulnerable jaw exposed. "...and you must decide on your own, if I am telling the truth."

Stryder is confused by Malefor's actions, not fulling understanding what his reasoning is to give in like this. The Dark Master his father told him about was ruthless and showed no remorse, however, that is not what he saw in his eyes. He saw the pure intentions of a purple dragon, the same look he has seen in his Father's friend's eyes. The same eyes he saw in a young dragon he wrestled with a moment ago, that gained his respect in battle. But then a different set of eyes take his focus, those of a panicked dragoness in the background, staring at Stryder with her uncertainty, showing him concern for his what he is doing.

"He's not lying Stryder!" Cynder says with fear in her voice. "Please Don't!"

Stryder can feel Malefor's pulse vibrate through the tip of his arrow, and sensing its calm stable beat, he lowers his arrow, and watches as Malefor reopens his eyes.

"Only someone telling the truth...could be so calm in the face of death..." He remarks, looking back into this familiar gaze. "...and if Ms. Cynder trusts you...that means that I should trust you."

The young cheetah returns his arrow to the quiver, and places the bow over his shoulder, staring at the ground with a bewildered look.

"I'm sorry I almost killed you!"

Malefor smiles for a second, but can still see despair across the face of the young cheetah. He lowers his muzzle down, lifting Stryder's chin with his nose.

"It's OK young one..." Malefor remarks to the shaking warrior, still feeling the effects of adrenaline pumping through his veins. The large dragon's voice becomes jovial, trying to calm the small cheetah with a somewhat assuring notion.

"...I was never really in danger from you!"

Stryder, with his snout atop Malefor's nose, stares into his eyes.

"But I have put you in danger..." He remarks with a dead sternness in his voice. "...I called my Father, and the palace guard!"

* * *

><p>Crouching under Volteer's semi-conscious frame, the only cover he has, Hunter waits for the impact of a large boulder falling from the sky above. It's size is enough to frighten the Cheetah warrior, but when it hits the ground above, his fear increase a thousand fold.<p>

Slamming against the canyon wall, one falling boulder becomes many, as the walls crumble from the tremendous impact. His cat-like reflexes will do him no good, as the twenty-foot walls collapse around he and the Guardians of Avalar.

The Cheetah Warrior closes his eyes tightly, praying to his Ancestors, and awaiting the inevitablepainful end of his life. However, the sudden sound of giant rocks slamming above him, and no pain felt in his body, forces the wise cat to open his eyes, and look up.

"By the Ancestors!" He remarks, as his pupils widen to their largest size, filled with a sight he never thought possible.

"Spyro?"

Looking down at the leader of the Cheetah Warriors, a slight grin crosses his stone muzzle.

Terrador, Cyril, and Volteer, his eyes finally opening after a vicious punch, stare up with the same amount of surprise in their expressions, not completely understanding what they see.

Spyro is forming a brace with his body, holding the canyon walls apart, keeping them from collapsing inward. His wings spread out, and angled away, forcing the stones from above, to slide harmlessly to his left and right. But this is not what is shocking to the three master dragons, it is the magic he is using to perform this deed.

Spyro's body is as solid as the boulders he is holding back, and looking more like stone then flesh and blood. His new color baffles the Guardians and Hunter, for he is no longer purple and gold, but the same drab gray color of the granite he is touching.

The eyes of this dragon, however, give the Hero of Avalar away, showing his familiar pupil-less stare. His deeper sounding voice does not, but the words that come from his mouth ring in everyone's ears...this is definitely Spyro.

"Would you guys kindly mind moving out of the way..." The sarcasm spewing from their friend, and his expression showing the jovial dragon they've come to know. "...I would like to let this go sometime today"

Terrador pulls himself from under Cyril, and grabs Hunter in his arms. His eyes never turning away from Spyro, in awe at the elemental power he is showing, and the ease in which he is using it. Cyril grasps the arm of his Electric friend, helping the stunned dragon to his feet, and following the Guardian leader out of this death trap.

"We're clear Spyro!" Terrador barks, still staring up at the powerful dragon, wondering what he'll do next, however, it is not what the Earth dragon expects.

Spyro pulls his arms and legs into his body, curling up like a ball of stone, and dropping to the ground just as fast. The surrounding canyon of crumbling rock buries him, and all four of his friends feel a sharp pain in their chests.

"NO!" The Earth Guardian yells, seeing his friend's body slam to the ground, then impacted with a barrage of large boulders from the collapsing walls.

Terrador rumbles to the pile of stone lying on his friend and frantically opens his mouth. A green glow emanates from his wide open muzzle, and envelops several boulders upon the top of the pyramid of large rocks. With a flick of his head, The Earth Guardian uses his impressive power to remove nearly ten tons of stone in one heave, but there is much more to go before uncovering his friend.

Suddenly, as Terrador encompasses another group of boulders with his earth magic, he can see the mass of stone jostle with movement. He quickly tosses the second clump of rocks to his right, and returns his focus to the heap before him. His eyes seeing more shuttering, as several of the top boulders roll off to the back and sides of the pile. He can hear grunts of power and with them more and more jostling of rock.

"SPYRO..." The Earth Guardian yells at the massive mound, seeing more and more agitation in the small mountain. "ARE YOU OK?"

"BACK...UP!" A deeply enraged voice muffles from underneath the tons of rock.

Terrador becomes shocked at this simple response, looking behind him at the others, still frozen in the moment.

"I would listen to a dragon that could do what we just saw, my old friend!" Volteer remarks sharply, staring at his friend with a bit of concern. "In fact...I would back up NOW...that's all I'm saying!"

Suddenly, Spyro stands up on his hind legs, pushing every single rock off his body as he thrusts up from the ground. Most of the large boulders fall backward, as Spyro purposely arched his body in a direction to force them that way. However, one very stubborn stone does not follow his wishes, rolling forward, and slamming to the ground on Terrador's unsuspecting front paws.

Being a very powerful Earth Dragon, the boulder does nothing except startle the large green and orange-colored dragon to look forward again. A slight throbbing in his left paw is felt, but that pain is quickly dismissed with shock, as his eyes focus on his friend.

Spyro is eye level with the great Earth Guardian, but only his head, neck, and front paws have unburied themselves. Gravity had poured the surrounding stones into the void he lifted up from like water, slamming the young dragon with crushing blows from all sides. However, Terrador sees no reaction to any of these impacts, almost appearing as if he was only being struck by water. With no effort, the stone dragon powers his lower half out of the quarry pile, not leaving a single mark on his frame. Spyro walks down the silde of his tomb of rock, with heavy laboring strides, shuttering the ground as he jumps dwon the last few feet.

The color of his body begins to change, and the vibrant glow of his scales return. The purple and gold dragon stretches, then shakes off the effects of his new technique.

"Spyro...are you alright?" Terrador asks, still shocked at seeing his friend in his normal form, unsure that he was really the stone dragon.

"Yeah...I feel pretty good..." The purple hero remarks, turning his head to look himself over, seeing his body is in as good a shape as he feels. However, Spyro's eyes pop open and he turns his attention back to everyone around him.

"...but what are you guys doing here...you were not supposed to arrive for another hour."

"We heard the commotion..." Cyril remarks, but is quickly cut of by the words of a proud father.

"Stryder contacted me...while I was escorting the envoy of elders..." Hunter replies from behind, walking forward with pride in his son's actions to call for help, while under such a great threat.

"...he said the Dark Master had returned to the Valley, and he has Cynder and your son held hostage in your home!"

"Malefor?" Spyro remarks with a fearful voice, and Hunter gives the purple dragon a funny look.

"Of course...Malefor!" The cheetah leader replies. "Is there another Dark Master?"

The purple dragon's eyes open wide, and all three Guardian's gasp, for they know the secret Spyro is about to drop on the world. They are also the ones that have convinced the elders of New Warfang to leave the city, and meet a powerful young dragon, Spyro's son. A notion that intrigued many who heard this fact, since Cynder should not have yet laid her egg.

Their reaction to Sparx, where and with whom he was raised, and what Spyro himself has witnessed over the past weeks, would all be the keys to whether or not to unveil his biggest surprise. However, he can hear his plan coming to a terrible conclusion, as the sound of clattering armor fills the air.

Spyro opens his wing, and takes off straight up. He quickly clears the tree line, and his heart sinks into his stomach. Twenty heavily armored Palace Guards, escorts sent with the elder's party, are landing in the valley and storming into Spyro's home.

"Oh no!" The young dragon remarks to himself, feeling a discomfort in his heart for what they will do is they see Malefor. He quickly speeds off towards his home to stop the ensuing fight. The three guardians and Hunter give chase, but cannot catch up to Spyro, as he covers the short distance from Twilight falls to his home in seconds. The purple dragon can hear yelling from inside the cave, and fears the worst.

"STOP! IT'S MY FAULT..." Spyro barks, speaking before entering the room. His eyes quickly noticing a very large purple dragon, is not in sight, and that every single eye is now focused directly upon him, and his next words.

"...uhhmmm...!"

Suddenly, the head palace guard, strides over to the purple dragon with an angered look on his face.

"You told this boy, to tell us the Dark Master was here..." The slight taller red dragon says with rage, staring into the purple dragon's eyes with a bit of disdain. "...just so you can serve dinner earlier!"

Spyro's eyes open wide with confusion, and he looks over at Stryder. The young cheetah has a smile on his face, gesturing his nose down the hall, where Malefor fled with his warning, and hoping his Father's friend...his godfather...plays along.

"Ahhh...Yeah!" Spyro says looking back into the fire dragon's eyes. "It's getting late...and...I have a lot to do tomorrow in the city...and I ahh..."

"HOW DARE YOU!" The guard barks in Spyro's face. "The Palace Guard is not to be toyed with like that. I don't care how tough you are...If you ever do that again I will personally..."

"Shut up Excelsius!" Remarks an old voice from outside, and the palace guard's muzzle is shut before his next syllable, hearing the words from the Great Elder of New Warfang.

A pure white dragon slowly strides into the mouth of the cave, placed down gently by his personal valet, slash enormous body-guard. The two toned blue monster of a dragon, slowly walks alongside the elder, making sure he stable on his own feet, never getting more than arms length from the old albino dragon.

The entire Palace Guard and Excelsius stand back at attention, and the purple dragon slowly bows in the elder's presence.

"You know Spyro would make light work of you, my large friend..." The old dragon grumbles with a sure grin on his face, then turns to look at the fire dragon. His eyes, useless from birth, still face in the direction of the head Palace Guard, showing that even though he is blind, he can still see clearly.

"...and he would not even break a sweat while doing it."

The old dragon gives Excelsius a smile, seeing a pure anger fill his aura, knowing that he speaks the truth.

Blinded by his rare but incredible power, this albino dragon can see the Spirit of everyone with his light purple eyes, and the only other type of dragon to posses that color pupil. He turns to Spyro with his smile still showing, but it slowly fades from his face, seeing an uneasiness in the purple dragon's emotions.

"What is it my young friend?" He asks with concern, seeing the clear energy of Spyro's aura, swirled with a darkness he's never witnessed from him before. He can see the turmoil inside the Hero of Avalar, and only watches it increase further as three guardians and one cheetah storm into the room.

"IS EVERYTHING OK!" Terrador shouts landing inside the cave, but coming to an abrupt stop as the massive blue dragon turns to block his entrance.

"Monsoon!" The elder barks, getting the attention of his personal valet. Forcing the enormous Water dragon to return his eyes to his master.

"The Guardians of Avalar are always welcome in my presence..." He says with a bit of anger, for he really wants to know why there is so much tension in the room. He can see the same swirling dark energy coming from the earth dragon, as he sees in Spyro, and is now very intrigued. The Great Elder turns away from Spyro walking towards the guardian dragon.

"...please let Terrador and his party in...I would love to hear all about the importance of his disruption"

The Earth Guardian's eyes open wide, and he stares at Spyro with a great deal of humility, he can see the smile on the white dragon's face, and can already feel the butterflies in his stomach.

"Wait!" Spyro remarks, seeing the fear fill Terrador's expression, knowing it is impossible to lie to this dragon. He places his front paw upon the old albino's shoulder, holding him with his simple soft touch.

"Great Elder, Please...I must speak with you first...alone!"

Monsoon turns to Spyro, and takes a step forward with a large growl from his muzzle. His eyes locked upon the right front paw of the purple dragon, now resting upon the elder he has sworn to guard with his life.

"Easy...big fella!" The albino dragon remarks while turning his attention back to Spyro, the smile returning to his muzzle. "I don't think the Hero of Avalar plans to kill me, and I'm pretty sure he could handle any threat that could possibly arise in his home."

Spyro rolls his eyes for a moment, remembering how he couldn't protect his wife only a month ago, in this same home.

"Please Spyro..." The old dragon continues, gesturing his paw towards the sleeping chamber. "...I can see you have a lot to talk about, and I am anxious to hear every word."

The light purple eyes of this old dragon settles the worried hero, and a smile returns to his muzzle. He was hoping this elder would make the journey, for Spyro has come to know him like a father, like Ignitus. In the same instance, he was also a bit fearful of him coming, because like the new Chronicler, this dragon can read anyone like a book.

The purple hero turns towards his old bedroom, confident inwhat he is doing, knowing he is going to tell the truth, whether he wants to or not. However, it is not his confidence the elder can see, it's his heart. The dark swirling energy, spiraling through his body, is now bundled into Spyro's heart, showing the spiritual dragon, he is ready to speak the truth of this darkness. A smile fills his face as well, and with a bounce in his old legs, the Spirit dragon follows his purple friend.

The old dragon enters the sleeping chamber behind Spyro, then stops after taking a single stride into the room. His incredible eyes scanning the walls and the roof, spotting many of the reasons he chose this particular cave.

"This is a beautiful home, Spyro!" He remarks, seeing the spectrum of sunlight entering through the crack in the ceiling, and noticing the perfect ambient light it fills the room with. The sound of water trickling from the near wall, to his right, turns his eyes in that direction. The old dragon slowly walks over to the collecting pool, his eyes revealing to him the clarity and coolness of the refreshing water. He lowers his muzzle down, taking a large drink, and wiping his chin with his paw. The albino turns to look at the purple dragon, and can see his aura is clearing further, with every compliment.

"Yes...this is a beautiful home..." The elder remarks, then turns his eyes from Spyro to the young dragon sleeping on a pile of cushions by his feet. "...but its beauty pails in comparison to what my eyes are beholding now!"

Spyro's spirit fills the room with light, allowing the old dragon to see much better in a room with so few entities. The white dragon strolls over to him, and places his paw upon the flank of the sturdy dragon, helping to hold balance. His eyes focused down upon the young two-toned whelpling, while feeling the emotions of a proud father with his supporting paw.

Suddenly he senses Spyro's tension, and quickly dismisses a single thought he can hear from the dragon he is touching.

"I know he is yours, Spyro..." He remarks calmly, then he continues with the same monotone calmness in his voice.

"...and I also know about your other little secret."

His purple eyes open wide, and he turns his attention to the elder beside him. Spyro can see the smile across his face, then realizes why he is using his body for support. The purple dragon pulls himself from the white paw of the elder, and gives the old dragon a bit of an evil glare.

"Relax Spyro...I can't read your mind unless you are willing...however, your thoughts speak as loud as words to me...and I just wanted to assure you, that I know Sparx is your boy." The elder remarks, as the purple hero walks another step to his left.

The smile never leaves the white dragon's face, seeing his reaction to have his thoughts read. He looks back down at the sleeping young dragon, and lets Spyro know his other cunning senses are just as good as his powers.

"Your other little secret was quite easy for me..." He remarks, giving a funny look to Spyro, then returning his eyes to his son. "I'm blind Spyro...I could smell Malefor's scent the moment I entered the valley."

Spyro, stunned by what he heard, is unable to respond, sure that he is in serious trouble. His mind racing with apologies, questions, and confusion, none able to pass from his mouth. Finally the young hero, standing in the presence of such a great dragon, blurts out what is really on his mind.

"Why would you stay then?"

The elder gives him another funny look, and is quick to respond.

"You want me to leave before dinner?" He replies sarcastically, trying to lighten Spyro's emotion.

He can see the swirling energy in the young dragon's heart, spread out and encompass his whole body, showing the spiritual dragon he is letting this hidden truth consume his entire soul again. The white dragon walks up to Spyro slowly, and reaches his paw out, but the purple dragon flinches.

"I promise...I won't!" He says, gesturing his paw, and Spyro understands that he is not trying to probe his thoughts, he just want to give him a comforting touch. The purple dragon holds his position, allowing the white claw-less paw to rest upon the side of his muzzle.

"I want to stay here to find out why my good friend is in such turmoil, and to understand his reasoning for bringing Malefor back to Avalar!" The old dragon remarks, sternly staring into Spyro's eyes.

"Why is your son this old? Why have the Guardians of Avalar remained in their chamber? Why are you so afraid to talk to me?" His voice getting more stern with every question, but he quickly settles down seeing that he is spooking Spyro once more.

"There are too many questions, young hero..." The white dragon says calmly, looking back down to Sparx.

"...and I want answers!"

The great elder lays down his body slowly upon the cushion near the sleeping dragon, stroking his paw across his muzzle and neck.

"But, I mostly wanted to meet your son, Spyro..." His eyes focusing back to his father. "...and I'll be damned to think you're getting rid of me before then!"

Spyro looks and finds a spot next to Sparx on the cushions, laying down and resting his wing over the lower half of his son. His eyes focused upon his sleeping child, until he turns his head back up to the elder.

"I'm sorry, Great Elder...but I feel like I am lost..." Spyro replies with tears in his eyes, and the elder can see all of his dark energy swirl back to his heart. "...I believe Malefor is different now, and he deserves a second chance, but I don't know if what I'm doing is right"

After a pause, the elder dragon takes his paw from Sparx' muzzle, and places it on Spyro's chest, directly over his heart.

"It is coming from here Spyro..." He says with assurance in his voice, seeing the energy already clearing from his friend. "...It is not wrong...so please go on...and don't leave anything to chance!"

Spyro turns his head up to see the confident stare in the old dragon's light purple eyes, and feels secure in speaking his mind.

"I owe him my life, Great Elder!..." Spyro remarks, looking down at his son. "...Malefor protected my wife and child, so I could still have my family..."

Again the purple dragon raises his head up to look the old dragon in the eye.

"...how can I repay a debt so large, but yet not allow him to do the same."

The white dragon says nothing in response, waiting for a moment before showing a large smile.

"There are two things I need to tell you Spyro..." The spiritual dragon remarks with a gracious tone in his voice, showing the purple hero, he is now talking from his heart.

"...you never know who your friends will be later in life, so treat everyone you meet with respect."

The white dragon turns to Sparx, smiles, then returns his eyes back to the young dragon's father.

"Your respect towards the Dark Master, in battle, has forced him to show you that same respect, and this young dragon is the result. Do not change who you are! You desire no enemy, and a true hero will find peace in all around him."

The white dragon stands up on the cushions, and steps over to Spyro. He embraces the purple dragon's head and neck against his chest, and whispers in his ear.

"You are asking me if you did the right thing, and without even meeting this different Malefor...I would say YES!" He grasps Spyro tighter, quietly forcing his words into the young dragon's ears.

"I trust mine and everyone on this planet's life...with you Spyro...and there is no reason for me to start doubting you now."

The old dragon backs away, staring into Spyro's eyes.

"I don't want you to change, my friend...yours is the clearest soul I see, and it is a pleasure just to stand in your presence sometimes! I have been around for a long time, and no one, not even the Guardians of the past and present have had such a clear conscious. "

Spyro, humbled by these words, lowers his head and is overwhelmed with emotions, showing a colorful display of his aura for the Spirit dragon.

"TWO!" The old albino remarks, startling Spyro to look back up, he forgot there where two things he wanted to tell him.

"What's the second thing I need to know, Great Elder!" The purple dragon asks with a bit of apprehension.

"That if you keep calling me Great Elder..." he says with sarcasm and a bit of anger. "...I will address you as 'The Great Hero of Avalar', for the rest of the night!"

After a momentary pause to realize that he is not in trouble, Spyro draws a huge smile upon his face. He embraces the elder dragon gently, looking over his shoulder at his son.

"Thank you, Diamond..." He whispers, glowing the room brighter with his aura. "...your mother and father named you well."

The old dragon smiles for a moment, then suddenly his eyes open wide and fill with rage. He breaks his hold with Spyro, and walks several paces away towards the beam of light coming through the roof. He knows the room will darken, as Spyro's aura begins to toil with his friend's sudden anger, which it does.

"I wish I could say the same for you, SPYRO..." He retorts with arrogance in his voice. "...but instead your parents never had the chance to name you..."

The room goes nearly dark, as Spyro is crushed by his sudden comment, his aura scattered around the room, no longer swirling together with a bright light.

"...and now it seems you know why, my friend!"

Spyro's gasp and his voice is the only thing the the elder can hear, for his sight of the dragon is completely gone.

"You said you wouldn't..." Spyro cries, knowing the elder has read his thoughts, hearing this dark secret about Cynder's past. "...You Promised!"

"AH! That's right...I did promise before when I held your jaw..." He remarks with his normally sarcastic tone. "...however...I made no such promise when you grabbed me...and I wanted to know why this dark spot is still filling your heart Spyro."

The old dragon lowers his head and closes his now useless eyes, as all of the Spiritual light has left his friend. He sits on his hind quarter, and lifts his right paw.

"Please Spyro...Come here, and let me know everything..." He says softly in his general direction, waiting for the touch of the purple dragon against his out-stretched paw, hoping to be given permission to listen to his thoughts more clearly. "...I said before, don't hold back...and I meant it!"

After a moment, some light begins to fill the room again, and the elder opens his eyes. He can see the swirling energy of his friend return, though not as bright as it once was. His smile returns as he can see the spiritual energy move towards him, lowering down next to the old dragon, and allowing him to rest his paw upon his neck.

"You are worried about something else, and not about what she did..." He says, hearing the true anger behind this dark energy. "...you knew long ago, and never told Cynder!"

Spyro breaks down crying, and a disturbing thought crosses his mind, quickly absorbed into Diamond's paw.

"Now you feel this whole situation before you could have been avoided?"

Spyro nods his head up and down, no longer speaking, allowing his mind to be probed by his friend with ease.

"Malefor has told you many things I see..." The elder remarks, getting a full view of the purple dragon's recent memories, seeing them clear as day.

"...and the reason you spent so much time from your love, as she tried to clear her inner demons."

Diamond removes his paw from Spyro's neck, gently grabbing his muzzle, and pulling it around to face him.

"And because of that, you think this is your fault!"

"IT IS!" Spyro barks, startling the great elder, and pulling away from his white paw. "I made her send me away, because I couldn't say anything!"

Spyro walks back to his son, staring down, and feeling the loss of his child's first eight years of life.

"Look at what I did!" He says, with anger. "If I would have told her, I would have settled down earlier. I never would have spent four years of my life in the Skylanders...waiting for Cynder to forgive herself..."

The purple dragon returns his tear-filled eyes to the white dragon, and the elder can see all of the darkness inside his aura, fill his heart once more.

"...when I could have done that myself...just by letting her know I didn't blame her...and showing that with my love for her!"

A smile fills the old dragon's face, as a light begins to flicker in the corner of his eye. He can see a spiritual energy, lurking in the shadows on the other side of the room. He saw it before, quickly dismissing its small size for a rodent or some other tiny life form. However, seeing the pure energy coming from the darker side of the room, Diamond can tell it is not a mouse.

"Two things I need to say to you again Spyro, then I will leave you...alone!" The old dragon remarks walking toward the other side of the room, and seeing the spiritual energy darken again into the shadows.

"First and foremost, this is not you fault!" He replies with confidence. "Fate determines our path, and only the Ancestors above will decide if we stray from that path!"

With his back turned to Spyro, the white dragon gives a smirk in the direction of the light energy he saw, then turns around and walks back to his friend.

"You have to realize that Spyro, and also, that you did nothing wrong..." Diamond remarks, staring into Spyro's soul, and still seeing the dark energy inside. "...the secrets that you keep are what make you who you are..."

He places his paw against the side of Spyro's muzzle, and shows him a large smile.

"...and you my friend have only this one...tell her, and clear your conscience!"

Spyro smiles himself, feeling a confidence to tell his wife that he knows her deepest secret, and that it has never hurt his love for her.

"So...What's number two this time..." The purple dragon remarks, looking down at the sitting Diamond, waiting for more valuable advice from a wise old dragon.

The second thing..." He says staring back into the dark corner of the room and seeing the spiritual light brighten again.

"If you want to speak to me alone...next time...pick a room without a shadow dragon in it!"

Spyro's eyes open wide, as he suddenly catches Cynder's scent. He was so preoccupied with the Great Elder he never really noticed it. That and the fact the cushions Sparx is resting on, is saturated with her scent that he never thought twice

Spyro turns his head slowly behind, and can see the glare of his wife's green eyes emerge from the shadows.

"Cynder!" He says with pure shock, knowing what he just said seconds ago had to be heard, and he can tell right away, hearing her cry.

The purple dragon is quick to grasp her tightly in his arms, and holds his distraught wife for all he's worth, but the shaking in her body, rattles Spyro's teeth, and he grasps on tighter.

"You two need to talk this out..." The great elder remarks, then strolls towards the door. His voice filled with sarcasm to lighten the tense mood. "I will make sure no one enters Spyro..." He stops, turns around, and scans the room. "...so you can actually be alone...with your family!"

"I'm sorry Cynder..." The purple dragon whispers softly. "...I should have..."

"No Spyro..." She yelps, cutting her husband off, and holding him tighter. "...you have nothing to be sorry about...I'm the one that should be sorry."

Cynder pulls her head back to look into her husband's purple eyes, knowing how easily she can read them, and wanting to see his reaction to her words.

"I'm the one that killed you mother and father!"

Cynder can feel her stomach turn upside-down, hearing the words she has rehearsed a thousand times, come from her mouth, to her husband's ears. She has feared this moment from the day Cynder realized...that she loved him, and would never be able to tell him the truth of what she did. A deep scar that would always remain in her mind and her heart.

"I destroyed everything, Spyro...and I am ashamed of what I did..."

He can hear the pain in her voice, reminding him of Cynder's apology tour, and the pain he felt every time she begged for forgiveness. Now that tone of voice is directed to him, and it burn the young dragon to his core.

"NO!" Spyro barks, clamping his paw around Cynder's narrow muzzle. His eyes glaring into hers, showing the dark dragoness, he is more understanding of her past then anyone...for he knows her inside and out.

"You did not kill my parents..." He says, never blinking, or changing his tone of voice. "...The Terror of the Sky did!"

Cynder, unable to lower her head in Spyro's grasp just turns her eyes away. She has never wanted to come to terms with the notion in her head, but apologizing for so long to everyone on Avalar, and now to Spyro, Cynder believes it is time to face facts.

"But, I am the Terror of the Sky..." She says softly through her husband's paw. "..and I did those things!"

Spyro begins to cry, and holds his wife's muzzle tighter, seeing what she finds to be the truth, in her sparkling green eyes.

"No you did not, Cynder! I killed that dragon long ago, and sent her evil body to hell..." He says with a tone that shoots down his wife's spine.

"...now all that remains of that once savage beast, is her heart, and that was never corrupted."

Spyro pulls Cynder's muzzle to his own, giving her the most loving kiss he has ever given, taking her breath away with shock and passion. He wraps his wings around her tightly, holding his wife motionless, making sure she cannot escape from his loving embrace.

Diamond watches as the swirling energy of both dragons, clear up and fill the room with a vast amount of light. A feeling of satisfaction overwhelms the old dragon, as the love they share consumes him.

"I knew you two could work that out fast... and I am glad to provide my counseling services to you, at any time my friend..." the old dragon remarks from the entrance, getting the two dragons to stop their display of passion. "...however, I think I should remind you...before you go to far...that you have many guests out here!"


	25. Spirited Dragons

**I wanted to thank you all for my most successful month on fanfiction. With your inspiring support, by showing me big numbers, I am producing chapters at breakneck speed. I hope you will enjoy reading them.**

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><p>Chapter 25: Spirited Dragons<p>

"_Can you hear me young dragon...Listen to my voice, and concentrate."_

Sparx opens his eyes, with the sound of this faint voice, and they quickly fill with wonder then fear. He can see nothing but light at first, dazzling and brilliant, flowing with a pure power that he feels around his entire body. It holds him up-rite upon his four paws, keeping his frame solid and secure. However, the young dragon's vision focuses and that is when Sparx can feel his anxiety run wild. His feet are planted on a small platform with nothing but an endless abyss surrounding him on all sides.

"Where am I?" Sparx yelps, but the sound of his voice echos back at him louder and louder, causing pain to his ears, and making him lose his balance slightly. The young two-toned purple dragon, digs his claws into the stone platform he is standing on, staring down with an even larger fear of falling.

"_Easy my little friend..."_ The voice rumbles softly. _"...I shall do the talking Sparx, and you will answer my questions.."_

The young dragon becomes confused even further.

"How do you know my name?" He asks much quieter, but still his voice echos back, causing him more anguish.

"_Please, stop hurting yourself Sparx, and let go of your mind..."_ The voice calmly replies, soothing the young dragon's ears with his soft tone, and causing Sparx to become consumed.

"..._We are but one soul, one heart, one mind...feel our energies together, swirling in unison, and tell me your deepest thoughts young one!"_

Suddenly Sparx falls into a trance, and his eyes turn pure white. His paws standing firm on the small ledge.

"_Yes son of Spyro, I see your great strength and the purity of your heart, however I also see the visions of your past that fill your heart with weakness.."_

Sparx lowers his body with depression, but only for a second. His soul can feel a quick pulse of spiritual energy, lifting him back to his feet, and holding him there with no effort.

"_Your past is troubled, young dragon, but I see greatness, and not weakness."_

Again the young dragon lifts up higher upon his paws, feeling no weight in his body whatsoever, and a sudden inner peace.

"_Now tell me what's is your deepest fear?"_

Sparx takes a deep breath, and opens his mind, spilling a single thought that has been disturbing this inner peace.

"_You are Spyro's son, never doubt that...for your father believes this to be so himself..."_ The voice says hearing this first thought, and dismissing it quickly. _ "He loves you Sparx, and has accepted Malefor __for how you see him. A father-figure that saved his son from certain death, and for that he is eternally grateful..."_

A slight chuckle is heard, as another quick thought is shot from Sparx' mind, and again it is answered just as fast.

"_No...my little friend...you are not dead!"_ It replies, hearing the sound of concern in Sparx question, and the young dragon can feel another boost to his spirit.

"_You are dreaming..."_ The voice continues, and suddenly an image of a white dragon begins to form before the tall platform Sparx is standing upon. _"...and what a powerful dream this can be, but only if you let it."_

Sparx lowers his left eye brow, showing the image before him, he is now thinking of more important things. He can hear his thoughts are of the past and mistakes he made that ended in someone's death.

"_NO! And never think that again, young dragon..."_ He replies. _"...You worry so much about your past, but I have only seen integrity in your actions, whether they were right or wrong..."_

"_...You feel that you are...a disappointment?" _ He continues somberly, feeling a great depression within such a young dragon, but his voice raises up, filling Sparx' soul with confidence.

"_I have seen nothing in the hearts and souls of those dearest to you, that would agree with that dumb thought. I see a dragon whose future is brighter than he thinks, and a selflessness that rivals his father's"_

A smile fills the entranced dragon's muzzle, and tears fall from his eyes. Quickly another thought is released for this voice to hear, now craving the answers he is looking for.

"_You have done nothing wrong Sparx, but your fear is well placed..." _ The voice begins saying, hearing him ask about the past few weeks, not remembering much of them himself.

"_...you know of the power that was inside of you, and how he tried to take what was not his..."_

Sparx begins to cringe with fear, feeling this disturbing echo inside his soul, and realizing now in this dream state, what it was that was inside of him.

Sparx' pupils return to their normal color, and focus directly before him. He can now see the white dragon clearly, with his light purple eyes, and returning the same stern gaze as his own.

"Am I the Dark Master?" Sparx asks out loud, feeling this conversation has led up to this one question, and asking it with his own voice.

There is no painful echo returned to his ear, but suddenly the white dragon disappears. Sparx, within his dream, becomes tired and falls to his stomach with exhaustion. However, his ears can hear one word, as his body shuts down yet again, putting him at ease, and allowing him to fall into a deep sleep.

"_NO!" _

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><p>Standing side by side in their old sleeping chamber, Spyro still has his arm and wing draped around his wife. Their eyes, no longer showing their undying lover for one another, but now focused on the white dragon lying next to their son. The only thing left in the world that lays upon the mind of both parents.<p>

"What is it, Diamond?" Spyro asks quietly, as the elder dragon removes his paw from his son's head. "Is there anything you can see?"

The white dragon pauses for a moment, hearing an echo in his mind of what once was.

"He is fine, Spyro..." Diamond replies, returning his confident eyes to the worried father. "...I sense nothing evil in his soul any longer."

"However..." The Great Elder continues, staring back down at the young dragon. "...I now see what you are talking about, and a dark power that was enraging his senses!"

Diamond places his paw upon Sparx' chest, and a smile crosses his face as he feels a very familiar pulse. One that he felt only minutes ago, while his paw was upon Spyro's chest.

"But...this dragon's heart is as strong as his Father's..." He remarks, then stands back up on his feet, walking over to the concerned parents. "...I have no fear that he will recover fully my friends...so please do not worry yourselves any more!"

Cynder breaks down again, and Spyro holds her in his arms tighter, knowing the emotional roller coaster she is still riding. Her shivering body sending a feeling of helplessness through her husband, as he can do nothing to stop her.

"Cynder..." Spyro yelps with concern. "Please calm down...he said, everything is gonna be fine!"

The dark dragoness buries her face into Spyro's chest, holding him tighter, and shaking much harder.

Suddenly Diamond places his paw upon Cynder, forcing her eyes to focus upon his. She can feel his touch warming the blood in her body with his spiritual powers. He smiles softly, hearing every thought that passes through her mind, and a slight laugh spills from his muzzle.

"Nonsense Cynder! You have done it...there is no one else!" He says, staring into her eyes, and answering the question she is asking over and over. "You no longer need to beg for forgiveness...and that is what is scaring you!"

Cynder's eyes open wide hearing the words she is thinking, come from the elder's mouth.

"You possess no knowledge of what it is like...to have no regret..." The elder remarks, walking back to her son, and placing his paw upon the young dragon's flank. "...and because of this...your are feeling like you life is over!"

Diamond lowers down on the cushion next to Sparx, staring at the young dragon, and seeing the vivid dreams her son is experiencing.

"Well, You are right, young dragon...your life is over!" He remarks, then looks back at the startled expressions from both Spyro and Cynder. A smile crosses his face.

"As your husband pointed out to you, young Terror of the Skies..." The elder says with a bit of creepiness in his voice. Cynder begins to shake again, as Diamond slowly gets back to his feet, and walks over to her.

"...He killed you!"

HE stares into her unsure eyes, then smile again.

"That horrible secret, you released today, was the last remaining part of that dragon long dead, holding your spirit back, never allowing you to feel you true self..." Diamond places his paw upon her muzzle, and closes his eyes.

"...now understand your real power, and begin your life again today...as Cynder. A strong dragoness with an unbreakable Spirit."

Spyro can feel his wife stop shaking immediately with a pulse of energy he has never felt from her.

Diamond's eyes are forced to reopen with a display of spiritual light, the likes of which he has never seen.

And Cynder...well she can feel herself reborn.

With a stroke of the Elder's paw, and a taste of his Spiritual power, the young dragoness fully understands his wisdom. A surge of strength, Cynder has never felt in herself, overwhelms the dark dragon's senses, but she is able to stay focused, feeling the sudden ability to control it.

Both Diamond and Spyro back away a step, as Cynder's power begins to build. The purple dragon stares at his wife, speechless, seeing her power increase with every passing second, filling the room with a bright glow that everyone can see...including a now very worried, very large, Water dragon.

"Monsoon...NO!" The Elder barks, seeing his giant friend run into the room and lunge at Cynder, to stop what he thinks is an attack on his master. However, before the Water dragon can stop himself, and before Spyro can prevent Monsoon from grabbing his wife, Cynder's eyes open wide and focus on the large blue dragon.

Her paw jets outward toward Monsoon, slamming him in the chest, and propelling his massive body across the room with great ease. Again both Spyro and Diamond stare at Cynder with shock, as she herself snaps out of this weird trance, looking around the room with surprise of her own.

She feels different, as if she was not in the same body, seeing things more clearly, not covered in shadow. A continued sickness, the dark dragon has felt her entire life, from the poison coursing through her veins, is gone, allowing Cynder to smell and taste the air without its toxic effects. Her fear...all but gone...now only worrying about the future, and the two dragons to her immediate left. Her dearest love, and her new purpose in life.

Suddenly Cynder's green eyes turn sharply to the entrance, as several dragons make their way into the sleeping chamber. They heard the commotion, and felt the cave shake when Monsoon slammed into the far wall.

"What's going on in here?" Excelcius commands, seeing the large dragon against the wall, holding his chest in pain.

"Nothing happened!" Replies the Elder, holding his paw up to stop the Palace Guards in place.

"Monsoon did something I've told him a hundred times never to do..." Diamond remarks sarcastically, walking over to his massive friend, and placing his right paw upon the blue dragon's sore chest. A glow of light envelops his paw, and he use his left paw to grab Monsoon's muzzle.

"...he attacked a dragon that was meditating with a new found power!" He says to his face, then looks back at Cynder.

"You're lucky she didn't kill you!"

The Dark Dragoness' eyes open wide with shock, as her memory of striking the large dragon returns.

"By the Ancestors...I did that!" She says with surprise, and Diamond begins laughing. She turns her attention to Spyro, whom also is showing signs that he is ready to laugh, but his reason for laughter is different.

He can see a glow in his wife's emerald-green eyes, one that he has never see before. The look of innocence now fills her gaze, and Spyro cannot help but feel his love increase for her.

"Yes, you did do that, Cynder!" Spyro says, grasping her powerful paw with his own.

"You are a much stronger dragon then you ever thought..." He says, pulling her arm, and forcing her against his chest, into a tight embrace. "...and I can't wait to meet her all over again!"

Everyone in the room can feel the power and emotion of both dragons, including one they thought was fast asleep.

"Mom...Dad!" The young dragon whispers, as his eyes slowly open

Cynder and Spyro quickly snap their attention to his voice, and run over to his side, seeing his purple eyes exposed.

"Sparx!" The say in unison, laying beside him in a second, and showering him with their love.

Cynder lowers her muzzle upon his head softly, while Spyro wraps his wing around his boy. They keep a gentle grasp, not smothering him, but still making sure he feels their touch cover his entire body.

Please, baby...say something to me!" Cynder cries just wanting to here his voice again.

Sparx tries to lift his head, and Cynder quickly moves her muzzle. She gently cups his jaw in her paw, lifting his head for him. His purple eyes, quickly scan the room, seeing a dozen faces he does not know, and different surroundings, however his eyes focus back to his mother and father.

"Where am I, Mom?" he asks with doubt in his voice. "What happened to me?"

Sparx can see worry fill Spyro and Cynder's eyes, when suddenly a white dragon's face comes between his mother and father, and Sparx eyes lock upon his.

"Young Dragon, I did not say to wake yet Did I!" The Elder remarks, and Sparx can feel a weird familiarity to his voice, and face. He reaches between Spyro and Cynder, placing his paw on Sparx' muzzle.

"_I wanted you to rest..." _ He remarks without speaking, but Sparx can hear every word in his mind. _"I know you feel their love, and want nothing more then to return it to them. Do not worry little one...I promise they will be here when you wake, and you will have a lifetime to show this love, but not yet!"_

Sparx' eyes close again, and quickly his head falls limply back down to the cushion he is lying upon.

"_I will also be here waiting for you...my young friend"_ the voice softly remarks to the slumbering dragon's thoughts. _"...and I will answer ALL of your questions then!"_

Spyro and Cynder become upset, hoping to talk with their son, however they can see Sparx drift off into a deep sleep and will not be able to speak with him.

"Why did you do that?" Cynder remarks with a sad tone in her voice, staring at her son, and just wanting to hear his voice again.

"He is not strong enough yet, Cynder!" The white dragon replies, grasping her muzzle and pulling it over to look at his eyes. A large smile fills his face, seeing her aura, only darken slightly with her depression, instead of disappearing completely as it would always do.

"I want your son to be at his strongest..." Diamond says softly, staring deep into Cynder's green eyes. "...when he sees his mother...for the first time with no regret in these eyes!"

Cynder's begins to tear up, and her spirit returns to its brightest glow yet. Only Spyro has ever made her feel so good about herself, and the young dragoness can barely contain her emotion.

"I know for a fact that he will be impressed..." Spyro remarks staring down at the glow that is coming from his wife, filling the room again with a brilliant light. "There is no way to avoid your new beauty Cynder...It is amazing..."

She turns her tear filled eyes to her husband, and can see his expression turn from joy to uneasiness. The young dragoness gets to her feet, looking at Spyro with curiosity, seeing there is something on his mind. Spyro looks over at his wife, then lowers his head again, proving to Cynder he is upset at something.

"What is it Spyro?" She says walking up to him, and placing her paw upon his face.

"I feel worse for never saying a word to you before now..." He says, removing her paw, and look down with depression.

"...I believed if you knew, then you would never be able to forgive yourself, and I would have lost you..." The purple dragon cries, wrapping his arms around Cynder, and holding her tightly. "...but now I can see what a mistake that was...because I would have found what I was looking for long ago!"

Spyro looks over Cynder's shoulder, down at his baby, and can see the smile across his sleeping muzzle.

"It's a mistake I'll never make again...I promise!" He whispers with tears flowing. "If I waited this long, to finally have the true love I saw from you years ago...then I can definitely wait, a little longer, for my son!"

Cynder lowers her head against Spyro's chest, feeling his pulse beating fast, and feeling his anxiety as well.

"You always had my love Spyro..." She remarks, then smiles hearing his heart beat slow down a bit. "...it was the only thing that kept me going, and the reason I fought for so long!"

Cynder raises her head to look at her husband, and reveal the reason she never told him.

"I also never said a word, because I thought if I told you...that you would have left me...or worse..." She says somberly, lowering her head against his chest again. Cynder digs her claws into Spyro's back...holding on for her life, not allowing him to move from her grasp.

"...and I would not be alive to see what I have become...I know that now!"

A large smile fills the muzzle of the Great Elder, a feeling of complete joy overwhelming his emotions, seeing the once turmoiled couple's energy, swirling together in unison.

"I would like payment now Cynder!" He remarks with sarcasm, and the dragoness spins her head around to stare at him "I have never given my Spiritual energy to anyone, without a price!"

Spyro's eyes begin to show anger, however his wife is quick to answer the old dragon's demands with no hesitation.

"Almost anything I own...is yours to have..." She says with a gracious tone, placing her paw upon the Great Elder's shoulder. "...I need nothing more then the two dragons in this room!"

A large smile fills the features of the old dragon, and he takes a big sniff of the air.

"All I desire...is what I can smell!" He remarks with his mouth-watering, unable to stop the scent of Cynder's cooking from saturating his overdeveloped senses.

Spyro can see the smile fill Diamond's face, and with his response, he quickly feels at ease. However, his next words bring anxiety to both dragons.

"I think I will head for the Kitchen, and get a clearer smell of this wonderful aroma..." Diamond remarks turning around and seeing nearly a dozen other dragons waiting at the doorway.

"...all I can smell are these Palace Guards...and it is quite unappealing!"

"NO!" Cynder remarks with fear, knowing where she sent someone to hide with Stryder's warning. "You can't go back there!"

Diamond, turns his head, and raises his left eyebrow.

"Why not, young lady...is there something you are hiding from us!" He replies, turning his attention to Excelcius, head of the Elite Palace Guard. "Something you don't want anyone to see!"

Cynder gasps, grabbing her husband's paw tightly, and Spyro is now quick to realize where Malefor is. He begins to open his mouth, but Diamond is first to speak. The white dragon knows who's back there, he can smell him over everything, and is just playing with the minds of his friends.

"I know what it is, Cynder!" He says with arrogance, and the dark dragoness gasps again, so does Spyro.

"You don't want anyone to know your secret..." The Great Elder remarks, turning his head around and giving the startled couple a wink of his eye. "... ingredients...and I completely understand."

"Excelcius!" Diamond barks, making Spyro and Cynder jump with his sudden stern voice.

"I want you to take your guards and..." Diamond pauses seeing a bead of sweat form on Spyro's forehead, waiting for him to order the guards to the kitchen and seize the Dark Master.

A smile crosses the old dragon's muzzle, as he returns his eyes to the large fire dragon.

"...set up an area near the river outside...It is a beautiful day, and I would prefer to dine in the open air."

Excelcius rolls his eyes for a second, getting an order to do such a simple task, however the smell of Cynder's stew is overwhelming to all, and he gives no argument, turning to leave with his fellow dragons.

Diamond walks back up to Spyro and Cynder, with a smile.

"Now, you can trust ME with your secret Cynder, can you not?" Diamond asks smugly, and the dark dragoness, with a pure white aura, returns his smile saying yes with no words.

"Monsoon!" The white dragon barks, startling Cynder and Spyro again.

The large blue dragon labors to his feet, still shaking off the effects of a powerful blow to his chest. The water dragon strides, with pain, to his master, staring down at the much smaller Cynder, feeling a bit embarrassed about being leveled by a female dragon one-quarter his size.

"You will stay be my side, understand!" He orders, and both Spyro and Cynder's eyes open with worry.

"You will not speak of anything you see and you will not make any aggressive move unless provoked..." The white dragon says with a more stern tone in his voice, and Monsoon gives him a bit of an odd look, but is quick to nod his head.

"...I know what you are going to see will enrage you my old friend, but you must trust me..." He says, placing his paw on Monsoon's jaw, giving him a pulse of his healing energy.

"...I believe after this day, you will have a new enemy to seek your family's revenge upon!"

Cynder gives the Elder a weird stare, hearing Diamond's cryptic words to his massive valet, but then notices Spyro lower his head like he has the same knowledge.

"What is going on, Spyro?" Cynder asks, and he turns his head to look at his wife.

Never wanting to keep a secret from her again, the purple dragon is quick to try to spit out one word.

"Ty..." He says, before the Great Elder slams his paw around Spyro's muzzle.

"_NO...you must not tell her..."_ Diamond's voice echos in his head. _"...she will only go after him Spyro, and Cynder is not ready to fight...yet!"_

Spyro eyes open wide hearing the tone in his voice.

"Give it time my friend, and tell no one..." He continues out loud, seeing Cynder becoming a bit nervous. "...this is a secret you must keep from her for the time being, and one she will understand!"

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><p>Sitting on his hind quarters in the rear of Spyro's home, only one thing consumes the mind of Malefor, and that is the precious life in the soft grip of his paws.<p>

"_Please...help my daddy!"_ Continues to repeat in his memory, that and the tears from the sparkling blue eyes of a baby dragonfly.

After Stryder's warning, the purple dragon disappeared with a bending of Light, and fled to the back of the cave. However, when he reached the kitchen area, where Cynder told him to hide, he encountered a terrible situation unfolding. The beating that Spyro's father took from a ruthless attack, had been more severe than first thought.

Hearing the Palace Guard enter the cave, Malefor knew his life was in jeopardy, but he also heard the desperate cry of a young girl, just wanting her daddy to be OK. Malefor saw Spyro's father would die without immediate help, so with no regard for his own life, the large dragon reappeared before Nina and Sapphire.

Startled for a moment at his sudden presence, the young dragonfly cares not, for she has a deeper fear in her heart. Sapphire, with childhood innocence, would ask anyone for help at this moment.

"Please...find my brother..." She cries with desperation. "...my daddy is hurt!"

Malefor balks, hearing the concern in her voice, and steps over to the moaning dragonfly. Seeing how close to death he is, and knowing that he is the only one that can do anything before it too late, Malefor sits down, looks at the closing eyes of a proud father, and can feel a deep responsibility .

"What are you doing Malefor..." Flash whispers with his fading breaths, knowing his son intentions to hide him until the time was right. "...do not let them see you!"

The large purple dragon smiles, then snatches the small dragonfly in his paws.

"I care not what happens to me..." The large dragon remarks, with a dead seriousness that startles the injured dragonfly. However, hearing his next words, Flash can feel the beginning of his healing process, with an expression of gratitude.

"...I am only here, because of your Son's honor..." He says, while lowering his other paw over the blue dragonfly, covering him in his palms gently. "...and I will be glad to give up my life, if only to repay the one that taught him such values."

"Thank...you...Mal...e...ffff..." Flash softly whispers before passing out, and a feeling of redemption fills Malefor's soul. A glow of light begins to fill his palms, and he turns to the two young dragonflies hovering before.

"I will do what I can to heal him..." He says with a new confidence, and his pupils disappear.

"...but do not touch me while I'm using this power, it would be deadly to you!"

Malefor slowly lowers his head in meditation, and his entire body begins to glow.

Nina becomes worried, seeing that he is just standing in the middle of the room, not even trying to hide from the guards, only fifty feet down a wide open tunnel.

"Sapphire...Go over there and let me know if anyone comes down that hallway!" She says to her daughter, and the little dragonfly takes off, but then stops.

"Please...Help my Daddy!" She says back to Malefor, and the entranced dragon shutters from her emotion. He can see the tears pouring from her eyes, reminding him of Sparx' emotion every day after losing his Mother in hell.

Malefor focuses all of his efforts into the small creature in his palm, trying to keep pace with his rapid heart beat, so he can heal his wounds. The large dragon allows himself to become fully entranced to accomplish this difficult task, matching a dragonflies incredibly fast pulse.

After several tense moments, Malefor shows a slight smile. He can feel the dragonfly's heartbeat settle, and his increases to match. Soon thereafter, life energy begins to leave his paws and enter Spyro's father.

Nina can see the glow from Malefor's paws get brighter, and her heart fills with joy seeing her husband moving around in his lose grip. However, a sudden shaking of the cave, and the sound of scurrying feet, scares the green dragonfly. She looks over to her daughter to make sure no one is coming, and is slightly relieved as Sapphire shakes her head NO.

The worried Dragonfly has no clue that her son has returned, and why the cave just shook so violently. In fact, Nina almost feels as if she is hiding a fugitive, keeping her son's secret from the Palace Guard.

Tensely she stares back and forth at Malefor, just standing in the open, and her daughter, making sure no one is coming. Finally Nina's nerves get the best of her, and she flies over to the hallway to watch for herself.

The shaking green dragonfly stares down the hall with her child now clutched in her arms, waiting intently for the first sign of movement toward them, but it never comes.

Nina begins to calm, and looks back over at her husband and Malefor. The roller coaster of emotion driving her in circles. She can see more movement from Flash, and becomes joyful, while in the next breath, hearing more sounds she cannot explain come from the living room.

"_What is happening?"_ She asks herself, inching down the hall trying to hear the voices she cannot understand, when suddenly.

"NO!" Malefor yelps, and she hears her husband violently gasp. "It's not working!"

Nina's attention is no longer down the hall, but now focused on the motionless dragonfly, in Malefor's palm.

"FLASH!" She yelps, flying towards her husband, fearing the absolute worse. However, before she can get close enough to see with her own eyes, Malefor closes his fingers tightly around him, and holds his clutched paws before his muzzle.

"NO!" She yells, but suddenly realizes the large dragon has not given up either.

Malefor opens his eyes, staring towards the roof, and looking for guidance from a good friend. That is when Nina can see this dragon's true magic.

Malefor begins pulsing with energy, pure and powerful. His eyes no longer white, but dark purple, like the scales of his body. He becomes oblivious to his surroundings, only feeling the small dragonfly clinging to life in his paws.

Suddenly drawing a large breath to fill his lungs, Malefor lowers his mouth down to his paws. The glow of his healing touch begins to shine in his palms again, then becoming brighter as he adds more power with a slow exhale from his mouth.

The green dragonfly, stares in awe at the rainbow of color produced by Malefor's breath, and can feel its Spiritual essence fill the room with life. With his massive lung capacity, Malefor continues to pour a vast amount of this incredible magic into the near lifeless body in his paws.

A magic he learned while living a thousand lifetimes in hell, and one that didn't come from his dragon ancestors, but his incredible second wife. A White Shepard that was first to save his soul, one that was proud to teach her husband, of nearly four million years, everything that she knew, and the only real power that Snow possessed.

An odd couple, that they were, but it was never about physical attraction. Malefor saw what he lost in Snow's blue eyes, feeling a love and admiration that was more than he ever thought possible from someone so small.

For several minutes, the purple dragon never stops exhaling this special magic, filling the small dragonfly with a healing energy of a different kind, hoping this can do more than just his powers.

Sapphire's attention has now been drawn to the light filling the room as well, and her eyes locked on the brilliant glow coming from her father, in Malefor's paws. She does not notice the sound of footstep approaching from living room.

"Sapphire!" A voice from down the hall yelps, and the little dragonfly turns her head to the left.

Her eyes open wide seeing her brother and sister-in-law walking towards the kitchen, however that is not what is scaring her. It is the white dragon and the massive blue one, walking alongside of them, that takes her breath away.

"Someone's coming!" She yells and disappears from view.

The Great Elder smirks at the young dragonfly's sudden disappearance, then looks over at Spyro.

"Your sister reminds me so much of another sibling of yours..." He says, seeing the small but bright aura of Sapphire drop from his view. "...I can see the same devoted spirit..."

Suddenly, Diamond stops, and his eyes open wide. He can feel the power from Malefor, building further and further.

"Oh no!" He barks with fear, finally able to sense what Malefor is doing, as he increases his the output of energy.

The old dragon begins walking faster down the hall, feeling this unique power, and wanting to get a glimpse of the energy he has never sensed before.

The other three dragons, startled by his sudden change in attitude, quickly follow Diamond towards the kitchen.

Spyro and Cynder, being younger, pass the Great Elder and make it to the large room first. Their eyes filling with a dramatic scene as their mother weeps before the powerful purple dragon, praying to her ancestors for a miracle.

"Dad!" Cynder barks, having full knowledge, in fact seeing the horrible attack Tycor made against a defenseless dragonfly.

Spyro hearing the word Dad, suddenly feels sick, seeing the amount of power that Malefor is using to revive him. The purple dragon leaps forward to help if he can, but his tail is grabbed from behind.

"Do not touch him Spyro..." The Great Elder remarks with his stern eyes focused upon Malefor. "...He is in a deep trance!"

However, the slow-moving blue dragon finally makes it to the large room, and his eyes lock upon Malefor...the Dark Master...his family's murderer.

A loud grunt of anger is heard from his old friend, and Diamond turns his attention to Monsoon, watching him charge.

"MONSOON...DON'T!" He shouts, but there is too much rage inside the large Water Dragon, to obey his master, and Diamond is helpless to stop the inevitable.

With crackle of thunder, and vast explosion of energy, Monsoon is slammed with an enormous amount of ancestral power. His large body, flung effortlessly back to whence he came, and towards the three dragons that entered the room with him.

Spyro's eyes open wide, knowing his wife and the Elder are behind him, and plants his hind legs to absorb most of the impact. Fear fills his heart, as his body begins to solidify, he knows he can't stop this much weight in such a short space, and someone is gonna get hurt.

Diamond's eyes open just as large, seeing his massive body hurling at him, and knowing there is noting he can do to stop it either. However, he suddenly feels two arms wrap around his chest, and weird sensation of darkness filling his body. All light disappears in an instant, and the white dragon feels panicked. He can't see, he can't hear, and can smell nothing, only the tight grasp around his chest lets him know he is alive with feeling.

Then just as fast, every sense in his body returns, and his amazing eyes catch the wisps of dark shadows floating away. But, what he doesn't see, is Monsoon's large frame coming at him any longer.

"Sorry if I scared you..." Cynder whispers in his ear, feeling a shutter in his body before releasing her embrace around his chest. "...I didn't have time to warn you!"

"What was that?" The elder remarks, still feeling the after effects of such a weird sensation of nothing.

"I pulled you into the Shadows with me..." Cynder replies, looking down, feeling like she did something wrong by his expression. "...I'm sorry...I didn't have a choice!"

Diamond places his paw on her chest, and Cynder looks back up, feeling his touch. She can see gratefulness in his eyes.

"Thank you...Cynder!" He says. "You saved my life, I cannot express my gratitude..."

The dark dragon places her paw on Diamond's mouth.

"You saved mine..." She says, smiling at him proudly "...we're even!"

The Great Elder smiles back, then suddenly his eyes scan the room, seeing Monsoon laying against another wall, however someone important is missing.

"Where is Spyro?" He asks, looking around.

"UM UNDRR HRR!"

The muffled sounds return both dragon's attention to Monsoon, and the jostling his body begins to make. With a loud grunt, the large blue dragon is rolled over on its side, and Spyro pops his solid rock head up from under the massive frame.

Both Cynder and the Great Elder stare in awe never seeing Spyro, or any dragon for that matter, perform such a powerful technique.

"Spyro..." Cynder says with surprise, seeing the outline of her husband in pure granite. "...Is that you?"

Spyro yanks his stone tail from under the unconscious blue dragon, and quickly nods his head. The smug smile and the pupil-less eyes of her love, tell Cynder the unbelievable truth, but it's when his vibrant color starts to return that she truly sees her Spyro

Cynder smiles and leaps at him, wrapping her arms around the still rock hard mid section of her husband, and returning a compliment he gave her moments ago.

"You are a much stronger dragon then you thought..." She whispers in his ear, and smacks his rock hard chest with her paw. She back her head up staring into his eyes, and lets out a pleasure-filled growl

"...and I can't wait to meet YOU all over again!"

Spyro smiles inside, feeling this new love in his heart, however his eyes are quickly drawn to something else, and Cynder can feel his heart begin to race.

The Great Elder is no longer concerned with the happy couple, but is now focused sternly upon Malefor, and slowly walking towards him.

"Diamond..." Spyro remarks, turning Cynder around in his arms, and holding her from the side, allowing his wife to see what has his attention. "...What are you doing?"

Cynder also becomes alarmed, as the white dragon gets closer, seeing Malefor's energy jump across the shortening gap between them.

"Don't touch him!" She yelps, but Diamond reaches his palm out to the purple dragon.

Malefor, holding his paws up to his mouth, is still showering Flash with an endless amount of healing energy, however it is not working. He can feel the small heart of Spyro's father slowing down, but continues adding more power, not giving up on his life.

Suddenly he can feel a paw placed upon his chest and a pure energy he has not felt since he was young, and the one time the Ruler of Avalar.

The purple dragon's eyes return to normal, focusing down at the white dragon.

"It cant be!?" He says with shock, then suddenly is overcome with Spiritual energy.

"_Easy, my old friend...I will handle this from here!"_ A voice he has not heard in over four million years rings in soul. _"You have been through enough!"_

Unable to move or speak, the purple dragon can feel his body used as a conduit for Diamond's power, sending a pulse of energy through his chest and into the near lifeless dragonfly in his paws. Malefor's eyes never blinking, staring at the white dragon before him, and waiting for use of his faculties if just to hold the Spirit dragon he remembers.

Spyro and Cynder, still standing in the background, cannot believe their eyes, they were expecting the Great Elder to be angry with them, but it seems as if he is happy to see the old Dark Master.

Malefor can feel control of his body and all of his senses return, including a shuttering he can feel in his palms, however, the large dragon is still frozen by the light purple eyes focused upon his.

"You should let him go, Malefor..." The white dragon remarks with the sarcasm. "...I think the little fella needs air!"

Malefor does a double take, then opens his palms quickly, remembering what's in his paws, however he never takes his eyes off Diamond, staring at him with awe and disbelief.

Spyro and Cynder are in awe at how easily the Great Elder healed their father, but mostly how not in trouble they are. Both look at one another with the same look of shock, then turn their attention back to what they cannot believe.

"You're alive!" Malefor says with great shock to the white dragon, seeing the dragon he thought long dead, and a soul that has troubled his mind for so long.

However, Flash is quick to answer.

"Thanks to you Malefor!" The blue dragonfly replies, thinking he was the one being spoken to.

Flash closes his eyes, slowly floating up to the large dragon's face, and bowing his head in appreciation.

"I know it's not much..." He says softly. "...but if you ever need my help...I will be there!"

Flash raises his head and opens his eyes sternly. He can see that Malefor is now looking directly at him, hearing such a deep admiration in his thanks.

"I'm sure that the Dragonfly nations of Avalar, will give you the second chance that my son thinks..." Flash pauses hearing what he just said is wrong.

"...NO!...The second chance you truly deserve"

"_I don't even to need to touch him, to read his thoughts old friend..."_ The old dragon's voice echos in Malefor's mind, and gives him a jolt of his powers to calm his nerves.

"_...You have already made a small step in the right direction..."_ He continues, reading his thoughts as the large dragon freely gives them.

"_I know he's gone my old friend..."_ The white dragon, remarks then closes his eyes. _"...and I know how badly he hurt you when he left. I can feel the pain in you thoughts..."_

Malefor lowers his head with depression, but Diamond is quick to stand on his hind legs, and lift his one time friend's chin. His eyes opening wide and burning into Malefor's

Spyro and Cynder cannot believe their eyes, seeing the physical emotion coming from the two dragons they thought would be screaming at each other, and more so as Diamonds voice echos in their ears.

"...But I see my old friend's spirit again..." He says loudly, and both husband and wife are shocked even further, especially when Diamond hugs the large purple dragon.

"...and it is brighter than ever!"

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><p><strong>Please review...I already know this is the greatest story ever told...LOL<strong>

**Now, I want to hear what you think.**


	26. Awakenings

**A bit of a short chapter, but I believe, still a good one. **

**And of course, please let me know what you think...good or bad, it will only help to improve my work. **

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><p>Chapter 26: Awakenings!<p>

Deep in the Catacombs, under the old dragon city of Warfang, a set of dark brown eyes scan the area with slight confusion. Trying to figure out where they are, and what they are looking for, when suddenly a small entrance way comes into focus. A quick sniff is inhaled through the nostrils of this large dragon, catching the faintest scent of something from his past, but he cannot remember what.

"_You're revenge is just through that door, my large friend!" _

Tycor takes a forced step forward, feeling a inner drive to enter this cave, and find the power he was told to look for. A voice that has burned inside...one that will not let him stop, continually pushing him to get his revenge. His blood boiling with every step in anticipation for a power that can "_help him beat her protector_", as he heard from this voice in his head.

"_Cynder will mourn for everyone she cares about..."_ The voice remarks in Tycor's mind, filling the dragon with a continued rage.

"_...for the power you need to kill the purple dragon...is almost with our grasp."_

A grunt of pain comes from the narrow muzzle of the large earth dragon, and he takes a step towards the cave before him. His new energy, keeping him on his feet, forcing him forward, not allowing the large dragon to rest. Tycor, mentally and physical drained, continues to move on...until.

"By The Ancestors!" He remarks, entering the large room, and seeing a massive statue that is very familiar to him

The Great Earth Dragon...Titan.

"Dad!" He barks, clearing the voice from his head, and running to the large granite rendering of his father. His thoughts fill with pasts moments, side by side with his father in this exact room, over six years ago. The day before his family's slaughter.

Suddenly his eyes look around with confusion, realizing that he is not dreaming.

"How did I get here?" Tycor yelps, knowing exactly where he stands now, but not remembering how he ended up in the Catacombs.

"_I brought you here!"_ This new voice replies with anger. _"Do what I say, and I will give you your revenge on his killer!"_

Tycor's eyes closes with a pain in his head, feeling the voice overpowering his thoughts.

"_Destroy this statue NOW...and unlock the power inside of it!"_

The large two-toned dragon reopens his eyes, as his mind rebels with a voice from the past. A voice that sternly warned his young son about the power within this statue.

"_Never allow the power in this statue to see the light of day, my son!" _His father's voice echos, filling the large dragon with a sense of uneasiness.

"_It is pure evil, and the source of the Dark Master's power."_

"NO!" Tycor barks, and turns to the entrance of the cave he came from, striding away from the solid tomb his father created, with his help. Remembering the exact moment he and his father build this structure, and the evil magic contained within.

"I will never use that power for any reason..." The Earth Dragon remarks, turning his head to look at his father one last time.

"...not even to get my revenge for our family, Dad!"

Suddenly, Tycor's feet stop moving, and his head begins to throb with pain.

"_YOU HAVE NO CHOICE!" _Yells the voice in his mind, dropping Tycor to his stomach with an overwhelming pulse of sound.

The large dragon shutters from head to tail, feeling a complete disconnect from his body, and this feeling echos in his soul further, when he stands upon his feet without command.

With no control of his muscles, but able to see everything, Tycor watches himself head for his father's statue. He can feel his tail lift into the air, hoisting the large mace attached to its end, ready to swing.

"_NO!"_ Tycor yelps, but only with a voice inside his head.

"You are no longer in control of this body..." the voice now speaks from his muzzle, and Tycor can feel his heart pound faster. "...so I will take your revenge for you!"

Tycor watches in horror, as his own tail mace slams his father's statue in the chest, cracking the large granite rendering from the neck to its left leg.

"_NO...Please"_ Tycor repeats, seeing his father destroyed again before his eyes, then feels a tight grip on his soul with this deep expression of emotion.

"You cannot fight me..." The voice remarks, slamming the statue again. "...Malefor couldn't stop me when I took him..."

The voice pauses, hearing a deep gasp come from the spirit of Tycor, knowing that Malefor was taken by the Dark Master.

A set of narrow cat-like eyes appear before the earth dragon's spirit, staring deep into his soul, and giving Tycor a complete vision of his family's death.

"...and neither could Cynder...when I made her kill the great Titan, and his family!"

The large Earth Dragon is crushed with an overflow of emotion, allowing the Dark Master to cinch his grip upon his spirit even tighter, giving him more control.

"Now, you will be the sword in which I will strike down the purple dragon!"

The Dark Master swings the tail mace of his new body once more, striking Titan's chest with full power. The statue shatters in a vast explosion of force, filling Tycor's eyes with the dark glow of purple crystals.

The energy quickly absorbing into the large dragon standing before them, filling the Dark Master with the power he has craved since his brother's attempt to kill him.

A strangle hold is place on Tycor's soul, and he falls deeper under his control. The large Earth dragon can no longer feel anything, his senses dulled to near nothing, except sight and sound.

Tycor can see and hear everything, including the thoughts of his new master, keeping him in check with a barrage of countless hurtful thoughts, all designed to use his own emotion to fight against himself.

"_Ironic, that the one you sought revenge upon, would be the one you helped to regain power!"_

Tycor's spirit lowers with more depression, and the Dark Master tightens his grip.

"_In fact, you are the perfect dragon for me..."_ The voice continues to taunt further. _"...you are strong and dumb, full of power but weak-willed!"_

Tycor weeps with the continued assault on his character, feeling every word to be true, knowing he was blinded by revenge, and now, allowing the one who killed his family to take his soul.

The Dark Master can feel total control of Tycor's body, as the overly proud dragon's spirit curls up with pain. The snake-like colored dragon turns his head towards the large cluster of purple gems, still filling this new body with more power, and he looks at his reflection. A smile crosses his muzzle, seeing the narrow black pupils, filling the deep yellow irises, of his new eyes.

"Soon Spyro...Soon" He says to his new body. "I will take my revenge...and your son!"

Tycor's spirit, wrap tightly inside, can see nothing but the broken pieces of his father's legacy, strewn across the floor, and tears begin to flow heavily from his spirit's eyes.

"_I'm Sorry Dad...I failed us all!"_

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><p>As his purple eyes open in the darkness, only the soft glowing moons of Avalar, shinning through the crack in the ceiling, fill the room with any light.<p>

Sparx becomes worried for a moment with only a vague familiarity to his surroundings, and more so hearing the strange grunting snore coming from his right. Even with the limited light, Sparx can tell the massive dragon sleeping beside him is neither Spyro, Cynder, or Malefor for the matter. The two-toned purple and gold dragon can see his blue scales, reflecting in the subtle light, and has no clue who this dragon is.

"_Where am I?"_ Sparx asks himself, with a bit of confusion. He can still smell his parent's scent all over him and throughout the room, so Sparx cannot understand why he is alone with this strange dragon.

Suddenly, a different feeling overcomes the young dragon's senses, accompanied with pain, and a grumbling sound louder than the snoring dragon beside him.

"Oh my stomach!" Sparx yelps, placing his paw upon the rumbling gold scales of his belly. Feeling the now overwhelming pain of hunger, a scary thought crosses his mind.

"_How long have I been asleep?"_

Knowing how much he will struggle to stand, but not wanting to starve to death, Sparx tries to rise up to his feet. However, when he gets up with relative ease, the young dragon feels a deep relief, and a bit of surprise.

He can feel strength in his body, and is finally able to control it. In fact, the last three weeks have been a blur to Sparx, and the little he does remember, is vague at best. But the one constant memory, was his lack of strength, and never feeling rested no matter how much sleep he got.

Now standing on his feet, for the first time in a while with no effort, Sparx can feel only one pain in his body, and it rumbles again.

"_I need food..."_ He says to himself, looking around the room, and feeling a strange sensation of being here before. _"...I'll get answers later!"_

Sparx slowly walks down from his pile of cushions, quietly, not wanting to wake the large dragon he knows nothing about, hoping to avoiding any type of confrontation with someone that big.

Suddenly the young dragon is struck in the nose by something thing more powerful than a punch, and it sends a remarkable pain to his empty stomach.

"Is that what I think it is!" He says with joy, getting a whiff of something he has not smelled in over six years...his mother's cooking.

The aroma, pulls Sparx to the entrance of the sleeping chamber, and the subtle glow of a fire in the lowered pit area of the living room. His eyes open wide with shock, seeing a room filled with sleeping dragons, and neither of them are his mother or father.

However, near the large blue dragon, a set of light-purple eyes focus upon him, but Sparx is too shocked to notice.

"_What is going on here?"_ The son of Spyro asks himself. He was almost positive this place was his home, feeling very familiar with certain things, and smelling the scent of his mother and father. However, seeing this group of dragons, and waking up next to a large blue one, Sparx begins to wonder.

Suddenly his eyes lock upon the only thing in the large living room, still light up at this time of night, and a flash of a new memory returns to the young dragon.

"_I am home!"_ He says to himself with confidence, and smiles at the large portrait of Sparx the Dragonfly, recalling a very powerful moment.

Even with his blurry memories, this one is as clear as day. His mother's arm, draped around his body, giving him support to get a glimpse of his name sake. A feeling of contentment in such a powerful moment, that it was impossible to forget.

The young dragon walks over to the display case, standing up on his hind legs, and stretching high to see for himself this time.

One picture catches his eyes quick, one he didn't see before. A small snapshot picture of his entire family.

Cynder and Spyro holding each other, as Nina and Flash do the same above. Dozens of dragonflies, all relatives in this large family, encircle the two couples in a rainbow of different colors.

And Sparx, as always, in the center grabbing the attention with a very proud look on every little feature of his body.

Sparx can feel this dragonfly's personality coming from the smile in the picture, and more so from his namesake's eyes.

A chill shoots down the young dragon's spine, overcoming his hunger pain, and keeping Sparx fixated on this one picture. It takes all of his attention, not allowing him to notice the white dragon, now peeking from the shadows of the sleeping chamber he just walked from.

Hiding behind a mountain of a blue dragon, Sparx did not see the elder, nor did he smell his faint scent with the many others inside his home.

The old dragon heard his bunk-mate wake, waiting for the instant he arose to greet him, ready to finish his discussion with the young dragon. However, watching him investigate his home, he is now more intrigued by just letting him discover things on his own. Diamond stares at the son of Spyro with a smile, seeing his aura light the room brighter than any fire, and he keeps quiet, so not to disturb it.

The little dragon, continues to stare into the display, slowly waging his tail. He would stay here all night, if only his grumbling stomach would be quiet. He can hear one of the closest dragons to him stir with the next rumble of sound from his gut.

"_Wow...that was loud!"_ He says to his stomach, placing his paw upon his belly again. _"I better go before YOU wake everyone!"_

Sparx lowers from the display case, tip-toeing away from the large group of dragons, and heads down the long hall where he can smell food. Diamond follows along with soft footfalls, making it impossible for Sparx to hear, keeping an eye on his ever glowing aura.

He watches it get brighter and brighter, as Sparx can smell the aroma stronger and stronger, reminding the youngster of powerful childhood memories. Suddenly, Diamond is forced to close his eyes, as Sparx' spirit shines brighter than ever.

He has not found food, but instead he has found the entrance to what he was really looking for...the new sleeping chamber in the rear of the cave.

No longer buried under a dozen other dragons, Sparx' nose catches the full scent of his mother and father, turning his attention to the room on his right. His eyes open wide, and his tail begins to wag with pure excitement. Sparx can see the two dragons that gave him life, their bodies intertwined, and sleeping peacefully.

Spyro, lying on his side, with Cynder directly in front of his chest, has his arm and wing draped over her neck and flank respectively. Meanwhile, Cynder has her head across the top of his father's, resting between his good horn and the broken one. Both dragons with irremovable smiles planted on their faces.

Sparx readies to run into the room, and shower his parents with love. The same love he felt from them just earlier in the day, when he woke, if only for a few seconds from this weird hazy fog.

However, before he can take his first step forward.

"_Wait...young dragon!"_ A familiar voice softly echos in his head, and at the same time, feeling a gentle paw touch his shoulder.

Sparx stops dead in his track, and his emotions fade with a sudden calmness. A flow of energy courses through him, and the youngster turns his head to see the white dragon from his earlier dream.

"_They have had an eventful day my little friend..."_ Diamond says with a smile on his closed muzzle, sending his thoughts directly into Sparx's head, so not to wake his parents. _"...and like you, they need some rest."_

Diamond turns his eyes to see the swirling auras of Cynder and Spyro, then returns his eyes to their young child.

"_Nothing is wrong with them I promise...In fact, I've never seen your mother and father shine so bright!"_ He says, answering the thought Sparx just had, and several more that follow just as fast.

"_They are simply exhausted from a very successful night, and I just want them to finish this dream together." _The elder says to calm Sparx further, but quickly can feel another barrage of questions building in his head.

Sparx smiles, hearing his parents are healthy, but suddenly he becomes upset. He lowers his head with a quick depression, remembering how many issues his parents were dealing with, and truly believing the love he sees now...will not last.

Tears begin to flow from his eyes, and Diamond is left in the dark, as Sparx' aura scatters to nothing.

He is missing such a gap in his memory, and has questions that have eaten at him since returning to his own dimension.

Sparx begins to shutter, and the Elder is quick to grasp the dragon he can barely see, holding him tightly with his spirit.

"_Easy little one..." _ Diamond remarks, hearing a vast explosion of emotional questions with in the young dragon soul.

_"...They have learned many secrets about each other today, ones they let you believe would destroy them."_

Diamond again looks at the young couple, but can see no darkness inside either dragon. A very wide smile fills his face, and he returns his proud eyes to Sparx.

"But...They were wrong!" Diamond whispers, giving a real voice to what he is saying.

"The truth has only made their love stronger...my young friend."

The small dragon looks up at Diamond with a child's exuberance, feeling a huge weight lifted from his heart, hearing there is no longer a rift between his parents. He tightly hugs the dragon whom is already embracing him, and becomes consumed with his energy. The young two-toned dragon can feel a pulse of life, fill his soul, and ease his nerves.

_"They are exactly as you see them now my little friend..."_ His voice echos, as both look over at the sleeping couple. _"...happily bound together as one..."_

The white dragon backs away from his embrace, and smiles seeing Sparx' aura shining brightly again. He lifts the young dragon's chin with his paw, and gazes into his eyes.

_"...and you will only make that bond stronger!"_

Sparx is consumed with emotion, and everyone, a good feeling about his future. He looks dead into the eyes of the white dragon, and only one question now burns in his head. The one he first tried asking in his dream.

"Who..." Sparx begins to say aloud, but Diamond raises his paw up to his mouth, stopping Sparx after just the one word. The white dragon places one digit of his other paw before his muzzle, gesturing him to be quiet. He knows if Spyro or Cynder hear their son's voice, no sleep would be deep enough for them to wake from, and for the moment he would like to talk alone with this wise young dragon.

"_My name is Diamond, and I am the Great Elder."_ His voice echos answering the question Sparx was going to ask.

"_I am a good friend of you fathers..."_ Diamond's eyes focus sternly on Sparx, and the young dragon can see a huge smile form on his narrow snout. _"...BOTH OF THEM!"_

The purple eyes of Sparx, pop open, as he cannot believe these words echoing in his soul.

"_How can you be a friend of Malefor's!"_ Sparx asks with his mind, and Diamond smiles larger, hearing the young dragon communicate with thought.

Suddenly, a large grumble takes both dragon's attention, and Diamond looks over at Spyro and Cynder with concern. Both jostle around for a moment, but thankfully do not wake up after another loud churning of their son's stomach.

"_Come young one, I will tell you all about it..."_ Diamond says with relief, then looks back into Sparx' embarrassed eyes. _"...but first...I really think you need to get something in that loud stomach of yours."_

The hungry dragon nods his head with a grin, and watches Diamond walk towards the next room just down the hall. He gives his parents one last look before walking away himself, and a deeper smile fills his face. Sparx watches as Cynder rubs her jaw across Spyro's nose, and his own muzzle tingles with the calming sensation, remembering something his mother would do to him as a child.

Walking like a cushion of air is under his feet, Sparx turns and follows behind the Great Elder, lighting the way for the blind dragon with his now completely clear aura.

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><p><strong>Well someone is awake, and feeling better...that's good<strong>

**Problem is, someone else has woken up, and he is also feeling much better...that's not good.**

**Round 2 coming soon...so stay tuned.**


	27. Preparations

**The title of this chapter will cover many bases, because we prepare for everything, including life itself.**

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><p>Chapter 27: Preparations<p>

With a vast array of vivid images running through his dreams, Spyro has a wide smile across his muzzle. Flying alongside Cynder, and holding his son in his arms, the purple dragon can almost tell he is dreaming, and enjoying every second. Nothing could wake him from such a powerful image.

The purple dragon, still sleeping with his wife in the rear chamber, has his back to the ground. Cynder is lying beside him, her entire left side resting on his gold belly. She also has her head down to the side of Spyro's, so he could lean against it.

A weird position for a dragon, Spyro actually enjoys sleeping on his back, with his left wing stretched out and the other curled around his love, as she holds him tightly. Exactly like there are positioned now...ALMOST.

However, Cynder is a foot taller, because of her imprisonment in a dimension of fast-moving time, and this became very helpful when Spyro laid all the way back. The Purple dragon would always prop his head up on his long gold horns, like a pillow, but he forgot he was missing half of the right one.

Cynder smirked, as her husband's neck creaked to the right, and quickly stretched her now longer frame up to hold his head level. A deep comfort of support came from this immediate gesture, and both dragons fell back into a peaceful slumber. Husband and wife experiencing the same dream, a wonderful effect from the spiritual magic they felt from Diamond eariler that day.

Both dragons, in their dream, land outside of their home in the Valley, and Sparx looks around with wonder. He turns around to his dad, and Spyro lowers his head for his small child to kiss his cheek.

However, knowing he is dreaming, a chill shoot down his back, as he can actually feel his son lick the side of his face several times, then the pressure of weight on his neck and chest. Suddenly he notices that he can also smell his son's scent, something you cannot do in a dream. Finally he hears his voice.

"Dad...wake up!" Sparx' whispers, and Spyro is startled out of his slumber by such a weird statement.

He opens his eyes to see his son, standing on his chest staring down at him.

"Good Morning!" The young dragon says with a smile, and Spyro jumps up immediately. Cynder also hearing, seeing, and feeling the same emotions, jumps up with her husband. Spyro holds his son tightly, and Cynder wraps them both in her arms. They are amazed to see their son wide awake, and finally looking healthy with a vibrant glow to his scales.

"Thank the Ancestors!" They say in unison, holding him tightly, never wanting to let go.

"They always get the credit for my work!" Diamond's voice barks from the entrance of the sleeping chamber, startling Spyro and Cynder to look in his direction.

The white dragon slowly strolls into the room with a smug grin on his features.

"It's never...'Thank the Great Elder!'" He remarks with pure sarcasm, and Spyro smiles.

The purple dragon stands up, leaving Cynder alone to shower Sparx with her love, for a moment. Spyro grasps Diamond tightly, lifting him up off the ground.

"I can't thank you enough...my friend!" Spyro says with tears of joy flowing, holding the elder with a spirited grip. "You gave me my..."

"_No my friend..."_ Diamond cuts him off, hearing what he was going to say before spoken, and not allowing Spyro to finish such a pointless thought.

"It was you and Cynder, that gave you back your family..." He says aloud so his wife can hear, then looks back into Spyro's eyes, and continues with just his mind.

"_...I only gave you a push in the right direction!"_

Spyro lowers his head down to Diamond's ear, while placing him back on his feet.

"Well then...Thank You for pushing me, Great Elder!" Spyro whispers with a little sarcasm of his own, and Diamond returns his smug grin.

"Your Welcome...Great Hero of Avalar!"

After a momentary pause, showing the Spirit dragon a grateful stare and a million dollar smile, Spyro jubilantly spins around and heads back to his family to share in the joy. He places his paw upon Cynder's neck, and she shows him her smile as the same joyful tears flow from her sparkling green eyes. The purple dragon kisses his wife, and hugs his family tight.

Diamond squints his eyes at the over-flow of energy, filling the room with a rainbow of color. The white dragon can feel the love, and does not want it disturbed...yet.

He can feel an aura approach from down the hall, and walks out of the sleeping chamber to intercept this dragon before he ruins a good moment.

"What is it Excelcius?" The Elder remarks to the head Palace guard, stopping the large red dragon from barging in.

"We will be ready to depart in fifteen minutes, Great Elder!" The Fire dragon remarks with a stern tone of order in his voice, then his entire body rest at ease as he looks into the eye of the albino dragon.

"If Monsoon is still hurt, from what ever happened to him last night..." He says with a sudden flow of emotion, looking down, unable to ask while stare into the great dragon's eyes, and hesitating with his words.

"...I just wanted you to know...that it would be an honor...if you allowed me to carry you back to New Warfang!"

Diamond smiles seeing his aura rise with just asking this simple request, knowing what a privilege it would be to the Head Palace Guard.

"I would be the one that was honored my friend..." He says, then places his paw upon Excelcius' chest. "...but I'm sorry to say, that will not be necessary!"

The powerful Fire dragon lowers his head, felling rejected, and his aura drops with him. However, a quick pulse of spiritual power and an explanation comes quick to heal his soul.

"_I'm not going back yet, my young friend..."_ Diamond remarks, and stares into his eyes. _"...but you can still bring me back later, because you are staying here with me!"_

The Great Elder can see the expression on Excelcius change to shock, and places his paw upon the muzzle of the red dragon before he barks with surprise.

"_I want you to see something with me Excelcius...ALONE!"_

The fire dragon nods his head, and hears several thoughts come from the Great Elder's mind, a list of simple chores to perform. He pauses for a moment, wondering why, but does not question him. With a new feeling of duty in his heart, the Head Palace guard returns to the living room, where his troops have gathered.

"Attention everyone...you will depart for New Warfang in ten minutes, but I will be staying behind." He remarks to his soldiers, and several quick gasps of confusion fill the room.

"Ampere!" Excelcius commands, staring at a slender yellow and orange dragon. A powerful female, mentored by Volteer himself, this dragon possess incredible electric power, and knows how to use it. It is the reason she was second in command.

"I hereby promote you to the Head of the Palace Guard." He remarks with pride, and Ampere stands at attention, being given such an honor. "You will take charge until my return...that is all!"

The yellow and orange dragon goes to thank Excelcius for his belief in her abilities to lead, however, the former Head of the Palace Guard runs from the cave, as soon as his short speech is concluded. With a request from the Great Elder echoing in his head, the fire dragon is consumed, and leaves in a blaze.

"You heard him everyone..." Ampere remarks, taking control of the moment with her stern voice. "We move out in ten minutes, so grab everything you brought, and make sure this place looks like it did when we arrived...Understood!"

"Yes ma'am!" The group replies in unison, and quickly begin picking up after themselves, but Ampere turns her attention outside with a bit of concern, as her leader leaves in a hurry.

Diamond watches with a smile, as the harmony of the group, shows in their spirits. But more so, seeing the shining aura of a certain fire dragon, leaving the cave with a new purpose. However, he does see one spirit drop from the room, and slowly make his way to the lost soul.

With a quick touch to her side, the elder can feel Ampere's pain.

"_Do not worry for your friend..."_ He says, and the young dragoness looks at him with shock.

"_If he can pass this simple test, young one..."_ He says to her with his mind. _"...Then I think his honor will finally be acknowledged" _

The white dragon removes his paw from her side and finishes a special thought to himself_,_ knowing the test he is going to be giving Excelcius today, will determine his future greatly.

"_We may have finally found a replacement for Ignitus!"_

Diamond gives the yellow dragon a very wide smile, and turns back to the large group under her control.

"He is going to be fine, Ampere." He remarks, then gives her a stern look from his light-purple eyes. "The question on my mind is...Will You?"

The yellow dragon's aura tightens up and shines brighter, as her focus returns to the duty at hand.

"Of course I will, Great Elder..." She remarks with a bit of concern, hearing his query, and feeling a bit of doubt, however the fierce dragoness pulls herself together, and stares back at Diamond with a look of assurance. "...you'll see, I will make you proud of me!"

Diamond touches Ampere's jaw with a soft paw, and sends her a quick thought before walking away.

"_I'm already proud of you, my dear!" _

The white dragon does not need to look back, as he walks from the living room and into the hallway. He can feel the new Head Palace Guard's spirit rise with pride, and all those around her as she snaps them to attention.

"Lets go everyone!" She remarks, turning to her own area, and making sure it is clear of everything she brought. Placing several item into a satchel, and hanging it around her neck. Ampere turns her head to those placed in her charge

"I want everyone ready in five minutes..." She continues, then looks outside again. "...Excelcius is counting on us to show our best, so I want his last orders carried out to perfection...Understand!"

"Yes ma'am!" The guards return, again in perfect unison, then picked up the pace of their action with a heightened feeling of duty.

Diamond can see the group of dragons, leaving the cave one by one, as it sends less light down the dark hallway. However, the brightness from the other end of the hall is enough to light his way with ease.

The blind dragon strides back into the rear sleeping chamber, and gives the happy family a smile as they return their attention to him.

"Your son has a very healthy appetite, Cynder!" Diamond remarks, having just watched Sparx devour everything that he placed before him. "I did not know such a small dragon could eat so much, but then I remembered who his father is!"

Spyro smirks at Diamond, then places his paw upon Sparx' head.

"He was starving!" Spyro retorts, knowing how little Sparx ate in the medical bay of the Portal Station. "The poor kid has barely eaten a thing for three weeks, and is finally feeling better now..."

Spyro looks down at his son, smiles at him, then returns is eyes back at Diamond.

"...I would eat like a pig too!"

"You always eat like a pig!" The Elder retorts with barely a pause.

Spyro's smile grows wider, but suddenly the elder gestures his head to the back of the room, and a specific rock on the wall behind the three dragons.

"I think we should show Excelcius your little secret today..." Diamond remarks and turns his head to make sure no one is coming down the hall. "...I believe this couldn't be a more perfect test to determine a would be Guardian's poise!"

Spyro, knowing exactly what the old dragon means, stops what he's doing, and quickly strides to the back wall of the master sleeping chamber. A magical green energy coming from the purple dragon's mouth, envelops this large stone, and Spyro walks backward, pulling it from its resting place. A passage way to a secret room is uncovered, and the young father returns his eyes to Diamond.

"Try to push him today Spyro..." The white dragon says looking into the purple eyes of the great hero of Avalar, and one of the dragons in charge of testing a new Guardian. "...I know you still have your doubts, but I assure you he is pure of spirit, and I want your blessing before we proceed!"

Spyro nods his head with acceptance.

"I have only one more test Diamond, and it will be very hard for him to pass!" The purple dragon replies, looking back at his wife. "...I have made this last year a living hell for my student, and even I am anxious to see what he does!"

"Thank you my friend..." The white dragon says with a nod of his own, then turns his attention to Sparx. "...give me a few minutes alone with him, before bringing Sparx back. I need to speak with him first, then your son can see his friend again!"

Spyro can see Sparx' eyes light up, realizing who they are talking about, and still feels a bit of regret in this emotion from his son.

"_Easy Daddy!"_ Diamond says with his thoughts, seeing a small spot of darkness in Spyro's heart, and quickly finding a way of stopping it from getting any larger.

"_You know how he feels about YOU, and it would only upset him if you show that this bothers you!"_ Diamond says with his mind, and Spyro, even though it feels like it weighs a ton, keeps his chin up.

"_He just wants to see the one that helped him to realize his dream..." _The Spirit dragon continues, keeping his thoughts pure as he touches the purple dragon on the right cheek. Diamond turns to Cynder and Sparx. _"...and it is the dream he is living, my friend!"_

The albino dragon returns his light purple eyes to Spyro, and gives him a stern look.

"_Now I want you to go and hug your family, young hero...for you have a long day of difficult emotions ahead of you!" _Diamond says, knowing the roller coaster Spyro will ride today, during the dedication of a park to his brother. The purple dragon again has darkness set in, and once more the Spirit dragon uses his unique ability and wisdom to ease him.

"_You will find support in all around you today Spyro, and I know you think Cynder will be your crutch to lean on..."_ Diamond looks over at Sparx, and can already see concern on the young dragon's features, as his father dropped his head slightly with depression.

"_...However...you will see it is your son that will feel his Father's emotions more, and be there to provide the most light in the darkness. I think at that very moment you will understand, and why you should never worry about Malefor and **your **son's love!"_

Spyro raises his head and smiles at such a thought. Sparx raises his head a blink of an eye later and begins wagging his tail. The young father can see the change in his son's emotion, match his own. Suddenly, he feels no bitterness about his visitor in the rear of the cave, all he can see is his son's feelings for his father.

"See what I mean, Daddy!" Diamond remarks out loud, and Spyro shoots him a smile, before going back to hug his family as instructed.

The spirit dragon heads to the rear of the mountain, with a bounce in his step. It has been years since he has had to use his powers so much, and the ancient dragon begins to feel young again.

His eyes being to lose sight, as he gets further from the glowing family behind, however, they suddenly pick-up on the faint light of Spiritual energy before him, guiding the blind dragon to the rear of Spyro's home.

A massive room, hollowed into the mountain by a hundred Manweresmalls, the rest of the cave could fit inside of it, and then some. The walls are lined with countless racks of armor for dragons, cheetahs and moles, and several other areas for storage of weapons. There is also a wide open area in the center of the room, nearly the size of the great arena of New Warfang itself. This room can become a staging area for battle quickly, if the need ever arose, or an enclosed training facility to hone his skills at home. But for now, this room is a safe for Spyro to keep his most valued possessions, or his most important secret.

The aura of two dragons begin to fill the eyes of Diamond, as he walks further to the rear of the enormous room. One, shining brightly with a slight swirl of darkness, the other scattered around the room and very diml.

"Malefor..." Diamond remarks, and the swirling energy, turns his attention to the dragon walking towards him. His aura flinches for a second, being spooked by someone else in the room, but quickly returns to the bright harmonious swirl, Diamond saw when he entered.

"...how is Monsoon doing?"

Malefor stands up, and walks over to the white dragon with a bit of concern on his face.

"I had stabilized him, my old friend..." He remarks, then lowers his head with depression. "...but then he did nothing but attack me for the rest of the night!"

The large purple dragon looks down at his right paw with regret in his eyes, then shows that regret to the Great Elder.

"I had to stop him, Diamond!" he remarks anxiously with fear in his eye, hoping his aggression will not anger a dragon he is begging help from.

"I didn't what to hit him, but he wouldn't stop...and we were beginning to make too much noise. You told me not to let the guards hear us, so I had..."

The white dragon holds up his paw, and Malefor calms his voice, and sit down on his hind quarters.

"You did nothing wrong, old friend, and I want you to remember those words!" Diamond remarks with an easy tone in his voice, but Malefor shutters for a second.

The white dragon stares into his eyes, seeing his uneasiness, and burns the same words into his soul.

"You...Did...Nothing!" He says aloud to drive his point home, but Malefor's Spirit darkens at this thought, and is shot back at the old dragon with anger at those exact words.

"_YES...I DID NOTHING..."_ Malefor yells back with his mind, lowering his head with a barrage of thoughts he has gone over in his head for millions of years, all focusing on this one thought.

"_...and because...'I did nothing'...I lost everything!"_

The Spirit dragon becomes flustered with Malefor, and can see his aura begin to darken, but tries to calm his friend of long ago.

"I've known you since you where a little whelping, Malefor..." The old dragon remarks, staring down at the ground, and conjuring up many memories of his young life for the purple dragon to see. "...that dragon did all he could to stop an impossible opponent, and gave so many time to flee the city...so don't tell me you did nothing."

The purple dragon rolls his eyes, then looks up at the high ceiling of the room, so not to show his anger to the elder.

"And what little good did that do!" The purple dragon retorts with a deep feeling of regret in his voice. "I knew where everyone would hide, and was forced to give that information as well. I then hunted them down...and killed my friends...and my wife!"

Diamond places his paw gently upon Malefor's flank, and rubs the large dragon softly under his wing.

"_Listen Malefor..." _Diamond begins to say with his thoughts, but the purple dragon knocks the white paw from his side, not allowing the Great Elder to make contact.

"OK...You want to do this the hard way...then fine!" Diamond remarks with anger, and his scales begin to darken a bit. Malefor becomes shocked, as this dragon that he remembers as the Great Elder in his day, flips a switch, and squares-off in front of his face.

"I don't want to fight with you, Diamond..." Malefor remarks, standing up and taking a stride back. "...Please, Don't..."

Suddenly, the purple dragon can feel his chin horn grabbed tightly, and his head yank down eye to eye with a now grayish-colored dragon.

_"He had a hold of your spirit..."_ the elder bellows with anger, placing his paw on Malefor's chest, and holding the purple dragon's soul with a his power. Malefor can feel the pain shooting throughout his body, and the visions of his past, forced back into his mind.

_"...You had no control, and he was able to do what he wanted."_ Diamond scowls, and Malefor becomes consumed with emotions. The elders voice calms slightly, feeling total control of Malefor, and trying to make him understand

"And he **made you** do unthinkable things... things that you received the blame for, casting a dark cloud on the legacy of the purple dragon..."

Malefor lowers his head with depression reliving every painful moment in a blur of memories.

"...however, this was not my friend's fault...because you were not in control!"

Diamond returns to his white color, and releases his grip on the horn in his paw. He uses that paw to softly lift Malefor's chin.

"HE forced you to betray your kingdom...HE made you destroy the city...and HE killed your friends...and Aeriel..." The Great Elder says with a sympathetic voice, and Malefor can feel an immediate pulse of spiritual energy passed into his soul. "...But he still could not break my friend's Spirit, because I see and feel it standing before me now!"

Malefor pauses and blinks his eyes, allowing several collected tears to drip down his muzzle to the Elder's paw.

"My friend..." The white dragon says, then stops. He looks dead into the purple dragon's eyes and his voice becomes very calm with his demeanor. "Malefor...I want you to stop remembering these images as you are doing, believing that you were at fault..." Diamond says with pain for his friends emotions, hearing a cascade of regret in Malefor's soul for his inability to fight back.

"...there was nothing that could have been done to stop him, and I can see nothing in this dragon's heart that tells me he is a ruthless killer."

Again Malefor has tears fall from his face, but can also feel a deep cleansing of his spirit. He has achieved what he thought impossible when Spyro first offered him a chance of coming back to his home. Hearing from someone who actually remembers his old life, and telling the purple dragon he was not to blame.

Diamond smiles seeing Malefor's aura swirling together again. However, The large dragon suddenly pushes the white paw from his jaw, so Diamond can no longer read his thoughts.

"Why do you do that to everyone?" He remarks with a stern tone, staring into the surprised eyes of the Great Elder.

"What are you talking about?" He replies with a question, not understanding where Malefor's anger is coming from.

The large dragon's aura fades to black, leaving Diamond in the dark, and his voice fills with skepticism and anger.

"Do you purposely make everyone you help feel worse...so they only think you're doing something with that simple power of yours!"

Diamond pauses, giving Malefor a stunned look, and the purple dragon tries to hold a straight face, but cannot. Seeing the reaction of the Great Elder, he begins laughing, and his aura fills the room brightly again. Malefor's laughter echos in Diamond's ears, and the old dragon gives him a dirty look.

"I have waited to do that to you for years." Malefor quips with continued laughter, and quickly feels the sting of an old paw across his left cheek. It moves his face only slightly, and he looks down at Diamond a bit startled, but then continues to laugh.

"You should see your face!" the large purple dragon remarks, and wraps his arms around the smaller Diamond. He lifts the elder in the air, holding him tightly to his chest, and quickly one thought is passed in his mind.

"_Thank you my old friend, you always knew how to brighten my out look on life"_

Diamond can feel a surge of energy in his body, helping so many dragons in one day, something a Spirit Dragon thrives on, and something he has been privileged to do more since Spyro defeated Malefor. Because of his power, the Spirit dragon was hidden away, never allowing the Dark Master to see he was still alive. It was the only reason, so many other souls were not lost, and the dragons were able to survive such a long war. HOwever, Diamond was never the same, watching Malefor's spirit corrupted, and watching his friend destroy their future.

Now, feeling his old friend's spirit once more, his joy and his feelings pass over to the purple dragon, giving him another boost of energy. The former Dark Master increases his embrace, and suddenly a thought begins to build in the elder's head, one Malefor quickly picks up on.

"_I'm not as young as I once was, and you're starting to hurt my back!"_

Malefor, as soon as he hears this thought echo in his mind, loosens his grip, and lowers the old dragon back to the ground with a smile.

"Sorry about that!" He remarks, looking down embarrassed, as Diamond stretches with some pain, but is still smiling.

"I forgot how old you are for a momen..."

"HEY!" Diamond shouts with a bit of anger, and his grin fades fast, however his sarcasm returns in the next breath. "Not all of us can be immortal...cheater!"

The Great Elder looks down at himself, and flexes his right paw.

"I want to see any dragon look this good at forty-three hundred years old!"

Malefor smiles, suddenly feeling like he is back in the past, and talking to his life long friend...his best friend.

"And you don't look a day over forty-one hundred!" He retorts with pure sarcasm.

Diamond lowers his paw back to the ground, and gives the purple dragon a nasty gaze with his light purple eyes.

"This old dragon can still whip your butt!" The Elder remarks, taking a step towards the taller dragon, and Malefor lowers his head down closer so the old dragon can hear his next taunt clearly with his old ears.

"Do you want me to get you your walker, or should we wait for Monsoon, so he can hold you up, Great 'Old'..er!"

Diamond stops in his tracks, his eyes opening wide with shock, and Malefor again begins to laugh in his face. However, this time Diamond cannot help but laugh as well, remembering a name Malefor would call him years ago. He can hear his old friend's sarcasm, and Diamond once again feels a boost to his Spirit.

Before an unknown entity stole his soul, Malefor was considered the most remarkable Purple dragon ever born, and the first ever non-guardian to be named the city's ruler. He was generous and kind, never allowing anyone to feel beneath him, regardless of his power and title. Diamond can now see that exact aura, he saw in Malefor before an unprovoked attack on his soul, and his laughter now echos with the feelings of having his friend stand before him once more.

"I have missed you..." The white dragon says with tears in his eyes, and again hugs his former enemy, and best friend. "...I had hoped someday to see your spirit shine brightly again...and I could not be happier!"

The old dragon, holding his friend, can see a glow coming from the entrance of the cave, and he breaks his embrace, looking up at Malefor's eyes. "And now, it will get even brighter!" Diamond quips, and gestures his muzzle behind him.

Malefor turns his head around to see three dragons...Cynder, Spyro, and Sparx, now running full speed into the room. The young dragon's eyes lock on his, and he smiles wider then Diamond.

"Malefor!" The two-toned purple dragon yelps, and leaps at his former foster-father with arms spread wide. The small dragon smashes into the gold chest of Malefor, forcing his own arms to wrap around Sparx. The impact drives the large dragon back a step, but is quickly dispersed throughout his large frame, and the two dragon sit still for a moment in a tight embrace.

"I missed you, Dad!" The young dragon says, and Malefor is startled for a moment. He grasps Sparx with his paws, pulling him from his chest, and holding him in front of his face.

"I am not your Dad, Sparx!" He remarks with a serious tone in his voice, seeing Spyro only a few feet away, and not wanting to aggravate the young dragon that was gracious enough to let him stay in his home.

Sparx gives Malefor a sad look, and readies to open his mouth with an understanding reply, however, Spyro is first to speak, startling both of them.

"He knows that I am his Father, Malefor...and now, without a doubt in my mind, so do I!" The purple dragon remarks, as he and his wife sit down beside the former Dark Master.

"But it was you that raised him, like my father raised me..."

Spyro looks deep into Malefor's eyes, showing the purple dragon the same resolve he sees in his own reflection.

"...I know my father is not my real father, but I am still happy every time I get to call him Dad, because that is what he is to me!" Spyro says with tears flowing, and Malefor's eyes show emotion as well.

"You saved his life as well..." Spyro remarks and pauses, unable to speak any further. Everyone around him remains quiet, but Diamond smiles seeing the purple dragon's spirit shining brightly with this painful emotion, and knowing Spyro is not upset, just overwhelmed with gratefulness

"I am no longer upset at his love for you..." He continues with his chest out, showing both Malefor and Sparx his pride. "...he can call you Dad anytime he likes, and I will understand completely."

The large dragon's jaw opens wide with shock, and suddenly the young father is slammed with the same hug Malefor just got, but this one much tighter.

"I love you Dad!" Sparx whispers, practically digging his talons into his father's back, not allowing him to move from his grasp.

Spyro raises his right paw up, placing it on the back of his son's head, and gently rubbing under his horns. "I know you love me, Sparx..." He says softly, staring at Malefor, showing the large dragon exactly what he means.

Spyro closes his eyes and lowers his head down against his son's back, wrapping his wings around himself and Sparx. His voice softens only for him to hear. "...and I love you too!"

Spyro can feel Cynder's paws against his side, and he just holds this moment for his memory to absorb, as does Sparx.

However, when he hears his wife gasp, and pull back her paws, Spyro quickly unfurls his wings to see what is going on. His eyes quickly noticing, Malefor has disappeared.

"Where did he go?" Spyro asks with shock.

"Where did who go?" A voice from behind startles the momentarily stunned dragon.

Spyro spins around with his mouth open ready to fire his Fury breath at the intruder in this special room of his home, when his eyes recognize the red dragon before him.

"Well, Master Spyro?" Excelcius asks with no fear, ready to dodge any blast from the purple dragon. His eyes lock upon Spyro's almost hoping he would start a fight.

"I was looking for my son!" Spyro replies sarcastically, and the Fire dragon rolls his eyes.

"HE...is in your arms Spyro!" The Palace Guard remarks staring at the young dragon, then looking back up his father with anger. "You know I'm getting tired of the way your treating me, Master Dragon."

Spyro returns a deadly stare, and his voice becomes very taunting. "I would say do something about it, but as you pointed out...I am holding my son."

Sparx shows a bit of confusion sitting in his father's grasp, and hearing him talk like this to any dragon. Then suddenly Spyro hands him over to Cynder, easily plucking him from his chest.

"There!" He remarks with pure sarcasm, taunting the fire dragon further. "Now I don't have my son in my arms...so do something!"

Sparx looks at his father with more surprise, and his mother as well. She is doing nothing to stop this, and his confusion sinks in further. The young dragon begins wrestling around in Cynder's arms, and Spyro can see it in the corner of his eye.

The purple dragon purposely turns his head to this distraction, showing Excelcius his left cheek, leaving it exposed for the powerful dragon to take the first punch.

A flash of power fills the room, and both Spyro and Cynder flinch, as they know he is about to strike. However, the power fades fast, and Spyro opens his eyes with a bit of shock. He turns his head towards Excelcius, and can see depression on his face.

"That was your chance to beat me..." Spyro says smugly, walking over to the Fire dragon with anger in his eyes. "...why didn't you take it!"

The larger red dragon looks down at his Mentor, and does not flinch, instead he breaks down in tears.

"I give up!" Excelcius says with pain, and lowers to his stomach as his muscles give out from what he has said to his teacher.

"It's been a year Master Spyro, and I know I cannot defeat a dragon with your power. You have made me look so bad at times that I stand no chance of beating you fairly..." The red dragon raises his head from the ground and stares at Spyro with a set of shaky eyes. "...and now I almost took advantage of you while you were distracted, just so I could win!"

Excelcius lowers his head again in disgust.

"There is no honor in a victory like that, and I feel it is the only way I could ever beat you!"

Spyro can see the pain in his face, recalling the moment that has led to this point, and the joy he now feels in his heart.

It was when he first returned from his first tour with the Skylanders nearly a year ago, and was asked only one task to perform by the Guardians and the Great Elder .

Test the strongest Fire dragon in the city for one purpose, to replace Ignitus as Guardian.

He proudly accepted, and when about the task in a very strange way. He mercilessly beat the fire dragon in the temple before everyone, with very little effort, and walking away leaving a challenge.

"If you can beat me, I will train you!" He shouted, and left everyone except Diamond surprised at his actions.

Excelcius now goes over many assaults he has made on Spyro, all of them leading to frustrating losses in the past year, since the purple dragon left him in the Training Hall with a broken spirit and a broken paw. However, even seeing his opportunity to take his victory in one powerful punch, the fire dragon could not force himself to strike a defenseless fighter.

"I am not strong enough to be your student!" He says with depression, and lowers his head to the ground again.

Spyro turns, and looks over at the Great Elder. With a simple nod, Diamond understands his task is complete, and the purple dragon has finally given his blessing.

Excelcius jumps as Spyro's paw is placed on his shoulder, and he looks back up, surprised to see a wide smile on his mentor's face.

"You are stronger than you think, my friend..." Spyro remarks, then turns to his concerned son, and rubs his head with a soothing paw. "...and you will need that strength in the future...Master!"

Spyro continues to calm Sparx with a gentle rub of his paw, while Excelcius ponders why he was just called Master by his teacher.

"Excelcius!" Diamond barks, getting the fire dragon's attention. "Did you bring what I asked?"

The Palace Guard snaps his head to his right, and looks at the Great Elder, still bewildered by Spyro's statement.

"What did he call me?" The red dragon remarks with curiosity, and walks over to his elder. "I don't understand why..."

Diamond holds up his paw to stop the stammering dragon, and focuses on the red eyes of Excelcius.

"Do not worry about that for now...I asked you a question!" The Elder barks with a bit of anger, and the fire dragon tenses up, quickly answering this time.

"Yes Great Elder...I have them in this satchel!" He replies, and pulls the leather strapped case from around his neck. He places the sack on the ground spilling a variety of colored crystals, then looks back at Spyro still in disbelief.

The purple dragon continues to smile in his direction, stroking his son's neck with his paw. Excelcius can see the pure pride in his eyes, but is still clueless of what is on his mind.

Suddenly his jaw is grabbed, and his eyes snapped back to the elder before him.

"_**What is on you mind!"**_ Diamond barks into his head, and Excelcius scrambles to send his thought out quickly.

"_Why would a Master Dragon, call me Master!"_

Diamond smiles and releases his hold on Excelcius. The white dragon suddenly walks over to the satchel and grabs a green crystal.

"Yes! That was odd of him to say that!" Diamond remarks, tossing the green gem in the air and catching it with the same paw.

"I have a question to ask you, My friend..." The white dragon remarks, and looks at Spyro with a smile. "...How well do you listen?"

Again a deep confusion sets into Excelcius' mind, but the Great Elder smiles further, and stands directly before the large dragon, with an answer of his own.

"I'll tell you this...if you can pass this simple test great dragon, then I will agree that Spyro did say something ODD!"

Diamond stares dead into Excelcius' spirit, and can see the fire burning within his heart. "I believe by the end of this day, he will have to address you as...Master Guardian!"

"What!?" The Fire dragon remarks with shock, hearing the words pass from his mouth, and looking at Spyro again. He can see no surprise on the purple dragon's face, and can tell, at that moment, this is not a joke.

Diamond holds the green gem in his paw before Excelcius' eyes, and his attention is returned to the elder dragon.

"You must pass this one test that I have, Excelcius..." The white dragon remarks. "...and it involves listening to your heart, and letting it tell you the truth."

Diamond turns his head around, and gazes at the wall behind him with a smile.

A strange gasping sound fills the Palace Guard's ears, and his eyes befall a sudden distortion behind the great elder. With a flick of his wrist, The white dragon tosses the green crystal over his shoulder, and Excelcius' eyes lock upon the magic powered gem, following its journey to the ground.

However, shock fills his eyes as it shatters, and the magic energy disappears into the same distortion.

A sudden pleasure-filled moan at receiving a pulse of ancestral power, uncontrollably spills from the camouflaged dragon's mouth, and his outline becomes more clear. Malefor also stretches his muscles to accept this boost of magic, and this allows the Fire dragon to see his movement with relative ease.

"Who is that?" The large dragon barks with fear, seeing the size of this distortion, but his eyes fill with shock, as Malefor drops his light bending cloak.

"WHAT THE F..." Excelcius begins to yelp, but The elder's paw is quick to shut his red muzzle.

"_Easy young dragon...there are children here!"_ Diamond remarks, and looks into his fired up eyes.

Excelcius pulls the Elder's paw from his face, staring at him, then looking at Spyro with the same anger in his eyes. He begins to ramble off question after question with rage in his voice.

"What is going on here? I thought you killed this bastard, Master Spyro...Why is the Dark Master in your home?"

The Palace Guards then snaps his head around to the Elder before him.

"Why did you tell me to wait for all the guards to leave, before showing me this, and why did you give him our ancestral power?"

Suddenly his eyes open wide with fearful shock.

"He's controlling your mind!" Excelcius barks, and Diamond again grabs his muzzle, this time tightly, making the fire dragon yelp in pain.

"_If you are going to listen, you need to keep quiet!"_ The white dragon shouts into his head, and Excelcius' eyes are focused on his, in a second.

"Please young one...I am not under his control..." He says, looking deep into Excelcius' eyes, trying to calm the truly frightened dragon. "...and he is no longer under the Dark Master's control either!"

The fire dragon can see the truth in his elder's eyes, and turns his head towards Spyro. The same unbreakable stare is given from his teacher, and Excelcius settles down for a moment. However, when he sees the other set of purple eyes staring at him from Malefor, a weird sensation fills the young dragon's heart.

"This is not Malefor?" The fire dragon remarks with confusion, not seeing the snake-like pupils of the dragon that declared war on his kind.

"This is not that same dragon...What is going on?" He says with a note panic in his voice, staring at the Great Elder for answers

Diamond places his paw on the red dragon's shoulder, giving him a pulse of his energy, and staring into his eyes with a look of guidance.

"_I am not going to give you an answer, my young friend, and I will tell you but one thing..."_ Diamond says through his mind, then turns the fire dragon's eyes to Malefor. _"...you are right...he is not the same dragon, and only by listening to him will you be able to understand that."_

Excelcius forces his head against the white paw holding him to look left, and his eyes lock back upon his Great Elder. The negative energy swirling into his soul is very apparent in the eyes of the Spirit dragon.

"You disagree, I assume!" Diamond remarks sarcastically, seeing the Palace Guard's anger.

"Excelcius!" Spyro remarks from behind, walking forward and nudging his son to walk with him. Both father and son stand by Malefor, and Spyro looks back at his student.

"I didn't want to believe a word from his mouth either, when I saw him again..." The purple dragon says looking up at Malefor, and shaking his head with disgust. Spyro returns his eyes to his son and rubs his paw between Sparx' horns, then looks over at Cynder with thankfulness in just seeing her alive.

"...but this dragon saved my family!" He continues, then focuses his stern eyes back to Excelcius. "I owed it to him just to listen, and when I did, I learned more than I ever thought!"

Spyro slowly walks over to the fire dragon and rests his paw upon the larger dragon's shoulder.

"The test of greatness is to be open-minded and fair, even in the face of such an overwhelming personal feeling. To find the truth in everything for one's self!"

Spyro lowers his head for a moment to collect his emotions, then looks back at the red dragon with pride in his eyes.

"The Great Fire Guardian Ignitus taught me that, and I found it to be my friend's best quality..." Spyro again turns his head to look at Cynder, a dragon that was to be put down after her defeat at the hands of the new purple dragon, but she was quickly defended by the Fire Guardian. "...he saved Cynder, by giving her a second chance, and now I am asking you to find that same quality, and do the same thing a guardian would."

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you liked this chapter, lots of things to prepare for. <strong>

**Preparing to leave for the city, preparing a dragon to become guardian, and a family preparing for the future.**

**Time for me to prepare another chapter, so we can answer some questions. **

**Does Excelcius listen? Do we get a new Guardian? And for a body-guard, Monsoon sure is useless huh?**

,


	28. Journey to New Warfang

Chapter 28: Journey to New Warfang

Sparx can hear shouting from behind the large rock his father pulled in front of his face, but the words are too muffled to understand. For half an hour, the young dragon has sat patiently on his hind quarters, staring at the large boulder in the rear of his parent's sleeping chamber, waiting for his fathers to emerge.

"Sparx!" Cynder's voices rings out from behind, and the young dragon turns his head to look at his mother. A smile fills her face, seeing the childlike concern on her son's features.

The young dragoness strolls up to her son, placing her left front paw on his head, and sitting beside him to watch the same rock.

"Your father is back there, and he will make sure Malefor is heard..." Cynder remarks, trying to cheer him up. "...he did the same for me a long time ago!"

Sparx turns his head to look at his mother, and can see a different glow in her eyes. Normally, talking about her past, Cynder would always clam up, and show regret in her eyes, but now Sparx can see his mother's courage in her posture, and the sharp focus of confidence in her sparkling green eyes.

"You father stood by my side during my darkest days, Sparx..." She says softly, lowering her paw to her son's side, and holding him a little tighter. Cynder returns her eyes to the same rock the young dragon was staring at, and a smile forms on her face again. "...he is just doing the same thing for the dragon that protected us!"

Sparx is overwhelmed for a moment, hearing his mother talk about Malefor kindly, when suddenly a muffled shout of anger startles him.

Both mother and child turn their attention to the secret entrance, in the rear of the master sleeping chamber, and can see a glow of bright light coming from around the entire boulder blocking the door. A loud thump, shakes the room, and fills the young dragon with fear.

"What was that!?" Sparx yelps with worry, and opens his muzzle to grab the stone with his magic. However, Cynder quickly holds it shut, and hugs her son to keep him still.

"Listen!" She whispers in his ear to get him to calm down further, and shock fills his ears as the young dragon settles himself.

"Is that laughter?" Sparx says with surprise, faintly hearing the unmistakable sound, and looks at his mother with shock. They can hear the sounds of laughter for several minutes getting louder and louder with every muffled comment. Suddenly, the young dragon catches a green glow in the corner of his eye, and watches as it gets brighter, surrounding the large boulder before him.

Laughter echos in the large sleeping chamber, as the rock begins to move from its position, and the young dragon's tail starts wagging vigorously. Sparx can see the silhouette of three dragons emerge from the back room, two of them unable to stop laughing at the past few moments.

"Seriously Monsoon..." Spyro remarks in between chuckles. "...did you really think that was going to work!"

"I bet this youngster could have done better!" Diamond remarks, both dragons stare at Sparx and begin laughing again.

The third to walk into the room, however, is not laughing. In fact, the large blue water dragon is not happy in the least. He has an angered scowl on his face, limping slightly on his right front paw, and trying to keep his tail up off the ground. But the anger in his face disappears as he walks by the young son of Spyro. A wide smile fills his muzzle, and he nods approvingly at Cynder and her son.

"His name is Sparx, old friend, since you never got a chance to meet him..." The Elder remarks out loud, and looks at his large companion. "...and that dragon, you will not forgive, is the reason he is alive!"

Monsoon takes a deep inhale, then spills the breath in his lungs with depression, recalling the last twenty minutes.

After waking up from a knock out blow, dished out by Malefor, the large dragon was forced to listen to his greatest enemy. The evil creature that killed his family, standing only feet from him, trying to apologize for his action, and his revenge denied by Spyro, his Master, and now a very intrigued Fire dragon.

However, that didn't stop Monsoon from taking a vengeful swing with his tail when he finally had the opportunity, just as everyone was walking out.

The laughter ensued as his tail zipped through Malefor's face, and lit on fire. The purple dragon changing the elemental structure of his body at the last second, and scorching the water dragon's tail with his fiery frame.

More laughter followed as Monsoon yelped in pain, and because of his powerful magic, his vocal cords are drowned in water. Not only does the high-pitched squeal sound funny from a dragon his size, but he uncontrollably spews thousands of gallons of water from his muzzle. Monsoon douses his tail, but slams Malefor with the deluge as well, leaving him soaking wet, and unable to light back up.

Monsoon saw this opening, and took it. The blue dragon thrust his right paw, balled into a powerful fist, and focused all of his strength in one small spot on Malefor's left cheek.

However, the purple dragon saw that coming too, and used yet another technique. His body solidifying to the same granite his paws stand upon, in half a heart beat.

Another deluge of water and his funny sounding chirp of pain filled the room once more, leaving Spyro and Diamond rolling on the floor, laughing uncontrollably again.

Monsoon quickly limped away disgusted.

As Spyro and Dimond continued laughing, however, Excelcius, became more intrigued seeing the power Malefor just showed.

"How did you do that?" The young fire dragon asked with curious shock, seeing a dragon made of pure fire for a brief moment, then showed his capacity for listening as Malefor began to speak about controlling elements. The two dragons stayed behind as Diamond and Spyro followed Monsoon to the exit.

Now, back in the sleeping chamber, the large dragon just fixates on the young son of Spyro.

"Look into his eyes Monsoon..." Diamond continues, staring at the large water dragon, and making him find the answers to his own questions. Monsoon lowers his head with depression, then turns to look at Sparx and his mother again. A smile fills his face, seeing the concerned eyes of the little dragon, and the concern seems to be for him.

"...you see the same eyes as the dragon before us in this room, the one that fought so bravely to save our world. But you will also see the same eyes of the dragon in that other room, and the one you hold with hatred in you heart."

Monsoon looks up over his Master's shoulder, seeing the same genuine stare from the youngster's father, then returns his eyes to Diamond. The Great Elder walks over to his friend and places a paw against his side, showing him a vast amount of images from his past, and a purple dragon that he once called friend.

"_They are all the same my friend, having a fearless devotion to the ones they care for, and showing their emotion in their purple eyes!"_ Diamond's voice softly echos, and Monsoon can see exactly what he is hearing, staring at Spyro's son again. The large dragon recalls the image, a moment ago, of Malefor's apologetic eyes and the same emotion that came from them.

"_He didn't do it...did he?"_ The Water dragon remarks with his mind, and the white dragon lifts his other paw to hug his friend's large flank.

"_No! It was not Malefor you saw do those horrible things." _ The old dragon answers feeling a deep regret for both of his friends, and Monsoon can sense his Master's emotions. _"You only meet him a moment ago."_

The large dragon turns his eyes to his friend, and they are humble and sympathetic.

"_Then yo must do me a favor, Great Elder!"_ Monsoon, remarks with his mind, knowing he cannot talk to Malefor himself.

"_Tell that dragon I am sorry for trying to strike him..."_

Monsoon pauses, and the old spirit dragon can see his aura focus brightly before he speaks.

"_...let him also know that I forgive him!"_

Diamond grips his embrace tighter, and floods his friend with his joy.

"I will my old friend...I will!" The old dragon remarks, holding his large blue body-guard, and giving him more of his Spiritual energy.

Diamond looks up at Monsoon, and smiles. "Now I want you to do me a favor, my old friend, and take the day to get some rest..."

The large blue dragon gives his master a somewhat concerned look, not wanting to leave him alone, but Diamond touches his soul once more and glances at Spyro.

"I will be fine..." He says, gesturing at the purple hero, and Monsoon looks at Spyro's confident eyes. Diamond reaches up and gasps his friend's muzzle, pulling his attention back to him. "...but you deserve a break old man, and I saw you staring at that waterfall when we got here!"

The large dragon recalls, flying in to the valley, and the massive western falls he saw from high in the air. Diamond quickly felt a boost in his emotion, seeing the powerful torrent of water cascading down into a large churning pool. A huge cloud of mist, billowing from the turbulent impact of millions of gallons of fresh crisp water, that was impossible for Monsoon to resist flying through with elder in tow. However the large dragon has no care for his personal feelings, only the Great Elder's safety.

Spyro places his paw on Monsoon's side, and the water dragon slightly jumps at his touch.

"I make this promise to you now...he will not leave my sight, Monsoon!" The purple dragon remarks, seeing him tense up, and he returns his worried eyes to Spyro.

"My family and I...will guard him with our lives!" He continues, and the large dragon finally settles a bit, hearing his master with be protected by the Great Hero of Avalar, and his incredible family. He nods his head with approval, then looks at Sparx and Cynder once more.

A smile fills the young dragon's face, seeing Monsoon's attitude improve, and the large dragon returns the happy gesture. Turning his head back to Spyro, he gives the young father a very approving grunt.

Spyro looks over at his family, and sees the brilliance of his son's grin. A smile fills his face, as he looks back at the speechless dragon, almost understanding what he meant with his wordless compliment.

"Thank you Monsoon, he is a good boy, and I love them both, very much!" Spyro replies, and Monsoon smiles wider letting him know he answered his grunt correctly.

The large dragon turns to his master, cordially bowing, then walks from the room without another pause.

Diamond watching his friend leave with a heavy stride, knowing he is still coming to grips with what has happened in the last day, feels some remorse in his actions.

"I hope he finds some answers for himself, Spyro!" Diamond remarks, then looks back at the purple dragon with pain in his eyes, "This is going to be harder than you and Malefor think!"

Spyro lowers his head, understanding the elder, and realizing how hard the Dragon World will be impacted by Malefor's return.

"I definitely think we need to keep this a secret." Spyro replies, and Diamond nods his head.

Suddenly, the two dragons loitering in the rear room, decide to come forward after a few extra minutes alone, and Excelcius has a very concerned look upon his face.

"Great Elder!" The Fire dragon remarks as he walks into the sleeping chamber. "I have some very unhappy news to inform you of!"

Diamond lowers his brow with concern, seeing a bit of darkness in the red dragon's otherwise glowing aura.

"What is it, Excelcius?"

"I regret to inform you, that I will not be able to carry you back to New Warfang..." The palace guard remarks, turning his attention back to Malefor. "...I need to listen to more of what this dragon has to say, and I'm afraid it will take quite a while. I know you need to get back to the city, but I..."

Diamond holds up his paw, and gives the red dragon a bit of an angered look, then walks forward, getting face to face with Excelcius. The fire dragon begins to tense up himself, but Spyro shows a smile.

"I just sent Monsoon away, to take a day off..." Diamond remarks with sarcastic rage, then looks over at Spyro and rolls his eyes. "...I can't ask the Great Hero of Avalar to carry me...it's beneath him."

Spyro's eyes open with shock, and he tries to quickly answer the Great Elder.

"I would be honored..."

Diamond snaps his head back to Spyro showing him a very angry look.

"Shut up! Spyro" the elder snaps back, then returns his eyes to Excelcius.

"I can't ask him, Excelcius...don't ask why...just...he can't...OK!"

The fire dragon looks down at the ground in disgust, then back up to the Great Elder with the same amount of anger that the old dragon is showing him.

"Well I can't take you either!" He replies, staring deep into Diamond's eyes. "I am Head of the Palace Guard, Great Elder, and it is my duty to protect the city of New Warfang. I only desire to provide better protection for the ones placed in my charge, and this dragon can teach me how to do just that."

The red dragon removes a satchel from around his neck, once again filled with the crystals he was told to bring, and lowers it to the ground. Then turns around without another word, and walks back into the rear chamber.

Sparx stares at the glass gems, as they once again spill onto the floor, showing him the three different colors. Red, Green, which he has seen before, and one very small blue one. His ear point forward, and the young dragon takes a step towards them with curiosity, believing he can hear something coming from the crystals.

"HEY!" Diamond yells, and Sparx jumps, thinking he is being yelled at.

He backs up next to Cynder, who holds him gently, feeling his fear after being startled. However he notices the elder was yelling at Excelcius, whom never stops walking. The young dragon calms down quickly in his mother's grasp, but his eyes return to the shiny gemstones.

Malefor, in shock, stares at Diamond and Spyro. He cannot believe the outburst that came from the relatively calm dragon he has spoken with. Malefor becomes even more surprised as both show him very large smiles. The Great Elder walks up to the larger purple dragon, and places his paw on Malefor's gold chest.

"_Teach him something worthy of a Guardian, my old friend!"_ He says with his mind.

The large dragon pauses for a moment, then smiles. Malefor bows his head, and follows Excelcius into the back room.

"He passed the test...didn't he?" Spyro asks, not hearing, but still knowing what Diamond said to Malefor was good news.

"Yes he did, Spyro!" the elder remarks, and looks back at the purple hero. "I think we finally have a new Fire Guardian!"

Spyro lowers his head for a moment, remembering his Mentor Ignitus, and feeling a sudden pain in his chest. The day he sacrificed himself, to help he and Cynder defeat the Dark Master, coming to head on the day they dedicate a park to his brother. His feeling for Sparx also begin to consume him, and Diamond can see his aura darken slightly.

"Spyro, are you OK?" He asks, and his son takes his attention from the crystals to his father.

Seeing the depression in his father's eyes, Sparx quickly breaks his mother's gentle grasp and runs to his dad's side.

"Daddy! Are you OK?" Sparx repeats the question just asked seconds ago, and Spyro chuckles. He looks down at his son, and smiles further seeing the concern in his eyes. Cynder, now by her husband, drapes her wing around his back, and places her paw on Sparx' head, holding them both together.

"I'm fine, Sparx..." He says softly, trying not to cry and make his son feel worse. "...but it will be a hard day today!"

Diamond, walks over to the huddled family, and places his paw on Spyro's neck. The purple dragon looks over to see the wide smile on his face.

However, Diamond suddenly flips a switch in his old mind, and the Great Elder becomes anxious in his movement. He turns around and picks up the crystals, placing them in the satchel, and fastening it around his neck.

"Anyway, we need to get out of here now if were going to make the dedication in time!" The Elder barks, and Spyro shoots him a very confused look.

"It's only ten miles, Great one, and we have two hours..." Spyro remarks with some arrogance, being cut off by something so trivial. "...I could carry Monsoon there in time!"

"But your not carrying me, Spyro...I already told you NO!" The Elder replies with more arrogance. "I will choose the dragon that will carry me, and I have chosen your son!"

"What!" Both parents yelp with shock, but Sparx becomes consumed with pride.

"Me!" The little dragon replies, and his pride raises further as Diamond smiles and nods his head up and down.

"But I can't carry you, Great Elder..." Sparx says, then looks down to pause for a moment. "..you're so big!"

Diamond frowns, and looks at his stomach.

"I'm not that fat am I?" He replies sarcastically, and smiles as Sparx' dark purple scales blush to his father's color. Diamond strides over to the young dragon, raising his chin up with his old white paw.

"_I weigh a lot less than you think young one, and it would be a good chance for us to get to know each other..." _ He says through his mind, then shows the young dragon many images of his mother and father. In five seconds Sparx is overwhelmed with countless emotions, making him feel stronger inside.

"...now just think of what you can learn in ten miles!"

Sparx looks up at his parents, and can still see the shock in their face of Diamond's proposal.

"Can I Mom?" He asks Cynder, knowing he told her he would help his mother, if she felt any pain in her surgically repaired wing.

The dark dragoness pauses for only a moment, then nods her head with approval.

"Dad!" Sparx says more sternly to his father. "Make sure Mom is OK to fly, and don't let her get to far away from you!"

Spyro is startled for a second, not hearing his son ask for permission like his mother, but instead getting demands.

"Is that all?" Spyro asks rhetorically, looking at his son with a bit of sarcasm.

"Are you jealous he choose me over you!" Sparx replies with more sarcasm, and both Cynder and Spyro's jaws open wide.

Sparx walks over to the Great Elder, and stands by his side, with his nose up in the air.

"You know, only the bravest of dragons can carry a Great Elder, Dad!" His son continues with even more sarcasm in his voice, and Cynder begins to chuckle.

"...and I am that dragon!"

Diamond begins to laugh, as Sparx walks from the room with a snooty stride of arrogance, and his nose pointed straight in the air.

At the last moment, he lowers his head, and looks at his father with a brilliant smile, and Spyro begins to laugh as well.

"Have I told you how much I like that son of yours?" Diamond asks, but doesn't wait for an answer. He quickly follows the young dragon from the room, leaving two very proud parents behind.

Cynder rubs her nose under Spyro's chin, and both look into each others eyes. A warm feeling of love envelops the happy couple, and Cyder hugs her husband.

"I love you, Spyro, and I will be there for you...not just today, but forever!" She whispers, and the purple dragon holds his wife tighter.

"It's been a while since you've flown me around, big boy!' She remarks with a more seductive voice, and Spyro quickly releases his embrace.

"Oooh...so that's your plan...I see!" Spyro remarks, looking at Cynder with disdain. "Tell me you love me, then ask for a ride, huh!"

The dark dragoness is startled, then startled again as Spyro plants his muzzle against hers, and kisses his wife with a great deal of passion. She can feel his arms, cradle under her body, and lift her of the ground with ease. Spyro continues to hold his kiss as his wings spread wide, and Cynder can feel the lift of both passion and gravity.

Suddenly, Spyro stops his kiss, and smiles. He cinches his grip tighter, and takes off like a shot down the hallway.

Cynder screams with fear, as her husband blazes a dangerous path through the hall, and into the large living room. He banks hard to the right, at the last moment, avoiding the glass display case in front of Sparx' portrait, by inches.

The turn takes both dragons towards the fire pit across the room, blazing away with a large inferno to warm the cave. Cynder closes her eyes, as Spyro cuts the left turn towards the mouth of their home, very late. She can feel the tickling heat against her tail blade, as the force of Spyro's turn, left her tail dangling in the blaze for a moment.

The purple dragon tightens his grip, as the force of the turn jostles her from his grasp, then thrusts his wings back hard, spiraling out of the cave with great speed. Cynder opens her eyes knowing the large oak tree, that sits only fifty feet from the entrance, is directly in their path, and Spyro can feel her pulse rise once more. A smile fills his face, and he waits until he is only inches away before spiraling again to avoid it.

Cynder screams once more, and Spyro just gets more dangerous. He sweeps against the river, dragging Cynder's tail blade across the water, swerving hard at each turn, making his wife's dangling appendages swing with gravity. They head straight for the waterfall to the west, and enter the cloud of mist at its base. Spyro opens his wings again at the last moment, and they fill with the rising air from the turbulent impacting water before them. Cynder once more is jostled around in her husbands grip, like a rag doll, but Spyro holds on tightly rising up with his wife along the front of the great falls.

The dark dragoness is enjoying this roller-coaster ride her husbands is giving her, reminding her of a very special moment in time. When a young dragon starting courting his future bride. He would do this all the time, and Cynder would yell with fear, making him only go faster. However this time, she can feel a different emotion in her heart.

"_He will never let go!"_ She says to herself, but then gasps as he suddenly says it.

"I will never let you go, and I love you too!" Spyro remarks, answering her question from before with physical emotion. He holds his head against the side of Cynder's, and they stare at the waterfall together.

"I will always be there to give you a ride when you ask!"

Cynder turns her head to the side, and Spyro turns his towards her. Both dragon continue where they left off a moment ago, muzzle to muzzle. The thunderous sound of the waterfall, pails in comparison to the pounding of this entranced couple's hearts.

Suddenly a grunt to their left breaks this emotion, and both Cynder and Spyro are startled by the site of their son with Diamond already in tow.

"Are you guys ready?" Sparx yelps with a smile, and his mother blushes terribly.

Spyro however, is shocked seeing his son holding the Elder with ease.

"How are you doing that Sparx?" He remarks at his son with surprise in his voice, seeing him holding a dragon three times his size.

"He's light as feather dad...I barely even feel him!"

Diamond looks at Spyro, and the purple dragon can see concern.

"Yes...it is a unique feature we Spirit dragons possess." He remarks with a bit of anxiety in his voice. "It is also the main reason I don't fly!"

Cynder and Spyro look at him funny, not understanding his nerves or his statement.

"What dragon doesn't like to fly?" Cynder asks with curiosity.

Diamond lowers his head, seeing he will have to explain something he finds very embarrassing.

"If it gets too windy, I tend to be blown around with relative ease, and will fall from the sky." He says, grasping Sparx tighter, feeling the young dragon moving with the upward flow of air, and not liking it one bit.

"This is exactly why I have Monsoon, he is impossible to move, even up in the air..." Diamond remarks looking at Spyro, and not the ground. "...I don't like to fly, because I'm terrified of heights!"

Cynder laughs in his face, but only after her husband crackled a slight chuckle, and tapped her ribs with his elbow.

"Mom...Dad, how could you! That has to be a terrible thing for a dragon" The youngster remarks with anger, and Spyro and Cynder halt their laughter, however Diamond knows better hearing the young dragon's thoughts, turning his eyes to Sparx.

"Don't you dare!" The white dragon remarks with a stern look, but Sparx just smiles in his face and tightens his grip. He then gives his mother and father a sinister wink, and folds his wings against his flanks.

Both dragons drop like a stone, and Diamond, begins to howl like Cynder. The scream of fear, attracting the attention of a large blue dragon below, lying beside the large falls and enjoying the mist.

Monsoon looks up to see his master falling into the mist of the falls beside him, held by the young dragon he knows is Spyro's son. Shock fills his eye, watching him drop that fast, then suddenly Sparx opens his wings, and levels off only inches from the water.

The great Elder lets out another screech of pure fear followed by a huge yelp of joy-filled excitement, and Monsoon gives a very simple grunt.

"_Crazy old dragon!"_ He says to himself with a chuckle, then stretches his body, before lowering his head back to the ground. _"Serves him right for giving me the day off!"_

Sparx, holding tight to his light-weight passenger, takes off down river with the momentum of his free-fall, and thought he cannot see, Diamond can sense the cool water flashing by his nose. He can feel his body slung to the right and left, following the contour of the west river, and again feels overwhelmed with excitement in the ride he is receiving.

"SPARX...STOP!" He can hear faintly screamed behind, as his mother and father chase him down, but the voice echoing in his head makes him go faster.

"_THIS IS AWESOME!"_ Diamond remarks with his mind, and Sparx continues to move along the Valley at sickening speeds. He plays a game of chase with his parents, suddenly heading North towards the city, trying to stay ahead by ducking into the Forbidden Forest. However, Spyro catches Sparx moments later, and is surprised as he pulls along side of his runaway son. His passenger has his tongue out, enjoying the thrill of the young dragon's pace. The white dragon turns his head to Spyro, showing him a wide smile.

"Monsoon hasn't moved like this in decades..." Diamond yells over the sound of the wind and branches zipping by his ears, then turns his eyes to face front. "...I just wish I could see what we're missing by inches!"

Spyro raises up out of the trees, where Cynder is hovering, and he shakes his head with disapproval.

"That boy of yours is gonna get us in trouble!" He remarks sarcastically, and Cynder gives him an evil look.

"MY BOY!" She replies with the same sarcastic tone her husband just gave, then smiles at him. Cynder turns to follow the sounds of laughter from a happy old dragon, but suddenly she yelps in pain, and grasps for her repaired wing. Spyro quickly picks up on her pain, and catches his wife in his arms, before she falls barely a foot from the sky.

"Are you OK, honey!" His worried voice returns in a breath, holding her gently, and rubbing the sore appendage with his paw.

Cynder slowly calms from the pain, and flexes her wing.

"It just tightened-up a little..." She says, showing her hero a grateful smile, and resting easy in his arm. "I'll be OK, but I think you better do the flying from here!"

Spyro calms down and nods his head with a smile, holding his wife gently, and flying above the tree line towards the city.

"It will be my honor to carry such an important dragon, Ms. Cynder!" He remarks with a snobbish tone, raising his nose like his son did before. "Only us brave dragons are permitted to perform such a task!"

Cynder blushes with pride, then pecks her husband on the cheek, and Spyro's eyes open wide.

"Please..." He quips with a smirk. "I don't think you should kiss your personal valet...I'm sure Diamond doesn't kiss his!"

Cynder blushes again, then begins to laugh, and Spyro lays more charm on his wife.

"I mean...I hope he doesn't...because it's quiet a distraction in mid-flight!" The purple dragon remarks with sarcasm, and Cynder laughs harder just getting a visual.

"I'm sure he knows how to kiss too, seeing how old he is and everything...but..."

Cynder suddenly locks her muzzle on Spyro's to shut him up, and to show her love for his humor. The purple dragon immediately loses focus of his flight, and lowers into the tree line, slamming into a large branch. Spyro and his wife fall to the ground, but Cynder never stops her kiss until they come to a stop at the base of the tree they hit.

"Yup!" She says, looking into the dazed eyes of her husband. "I guess that is a distraction!"

Spyro shakes the cobwebs from his head, and smile at his wife.

"Now...I'm sure of it!" He says, picking Cynder back up, and opening his wings.

"Diamond, definitely doesn't kiss Monsoon in mid-flight!"

Spyro leaps back into the air, weaving through the trees without distraction, and resuming his flight above the tree line. For the next few miles, he struggles to keep his course, as Cynder distracts him constantly. However, Spyro holds his altitude, peaking forward every few seconds, and not getting completely taken by these moments of passion.

"See...it's not bothering you too much!" Cynder remarks returning her eyes forward after a barrage of kisses to her husband's face. "I knew a brave dragon like yourself could adjust to such a distraction!"

Spyro tightens his grip, and rubs his nose against her muzzle, but in the process he lowers again toward the tree line.

"Up Spyro!" She barks, and the purple dragon quickly snaps out of his trance seeing the large branch in their flight path.

"Yikes!" Spyro yelps, spiraling to his right, then thrusting his wings down to gain height. He looks back at the tree they almost hit again, then turns his eyes to his wife.

"OK...I got it..." He says, flapping his wings to retain speed, and holding his head out straight with total focus. "...You can kiss me, but I can't kiss you!"

"Sounds fair to me!" Cynder remarks, rubbing her nose under Spyro's jaw, making him bob up in the air slightly.

However, Spyro stops suddenly, startling his wife. Cynder can see concern in his eyes, and she feels a bit embarrassed.

"Ok I'll stop!" She says, but Spyro's eyes are still looking forward and now very anxious.

"Where is Sparx?" He says with fear, realizing he lost sight of him, and now seeing the city on the horizon, Spyro starts to worry about his son's well being in this dense forest.

"SPARX!" Both parents yell, then Spyro climbs higher into the air to get a better view.

"I don't see them!" Cynder remarks with her hawk-like eyes, seeing no movement in the forest below, then suddenly her eyes catch a puff of smoke miles away.

"LOOK SPYRO!" She barks anxiously, seeing the small mushroom cloud rise above the trees, then suddenly both dragon can hear and feel the explosion.

"By the ancestors!" Spyro exclaims, and cinches his wife tightly in his arms. The purple dragon takes off towards the dissipating cloud of smoke, increasing his speed with every fearful thought that passes through his head.

In the blink of an eye, Spyro covers the nearly two mile distance between he and this decent-sized explosion he and his wife just witnessed. Nearly an acre of trees are laying down in a large circle, pointing away from the epicenter of the blast.

As the smoke clears, Spyro holds his charge, and breathes a sigh of relief, seeing his son and the Great Elder standing at the center of the downed trees. He can see the remnants of a powerful fire attack, still billowing from his son's muzzle, and the wide smile on Diamond's face.

"What the hell are you doing?" Spyro barks at his son.

"You scared us both, Sparx!" Cynder follows up with a fearful tone in her voice, and the young dragon lowers his head.

"It's my fault, Cynder...I told him to clear a spot for us!" Diamond replies, taking the attention of both parent's anger, and having them focus it on him. "I wanted a place where no one was around to get hurt, and the Forbidden Forest is perfect."

Spyro and Cynder give him a stare, until he reaches his paw into the satchel around his neck. The white paw of the Great Elder removes a single crystal, and holds it up for both parents to see.

Sparx eyes lock upon the blue crystal in the elder's paw, and once again his ears point forward. He can hear the inaudible sounds of voices, and becomes enthralled with them, taking a step towards the gemstone in the white dragon's palm.

"What is it young dragon?" Diamond yelps, and Sparx snaps out of his trance.

"Nothing... Nothing is wrong!" He replies, startled with a fear, worried that he's hearing voices again.

"Did you hear something?" The Elder asks with a tone in his voice that settles the young dragon slightly.

"Should I hear something?" Sparx says turning his head to the side, giving a question to answer a question, and hoping for an answer.

Diamond smiles at Sparx, and nods his head once, before looking at his parents.

"What about you Mommy and Daddy...do you hear anything?"

The great elder also saw Spyro and Cynder's eyes open wide, as he drew this crystal from his pouch, and immediately could tell they can hear the voices as well.

"I don't understand, Great Elder...I have not heard them speak to me in years!" Spyro replies with a great deal of surprise in his voice. He and Cynder walk forward, entranced by the blue crystal like their son. "I thought I learned everything...why are the ancestors talking to me again?"

Diamond looks up at the purple dragon and smiles, then looks over at his wife with the same grin.

"It appears you have learned a few new things, and the ancestors can feel that inside of you!" The elder remarks, then places a paw upon Spyro's shoulder. "Perhaps a trip to the Crystal Cave will be a good idea after we leave the city!"

Spyro smiles and looks down at Diamond.

"I like the way you think sometimes, my friend..." He remarks, visualizing the large cave filled with millions of different crystals, and knowing his whole family can get their fill of magic in one place. "...that sounds like the perfect place for my wife and I to take our son. Blue gems are hard to come by in the valley, but there are hundreds of them in that cave."

Diamond turns and looks at Sparx, and he can still see the young dragon entranced by the blue crystal.

"Can you carry both Cynder and myself, Spyro?" Diamond asks as he returns his eyes to Sparx' father.

"Probably, if you're as light as my son said your are..." Spyro remarks, and without another word, Diamond flips another crystal over his shoulder.

Spyro eyes pop open, as the elder releases the blue gemstone at his son, and does not wait for it to land, like Excelcius. Instead he grabs his wife and the elder in his arms, and thrusts up into the air.

Sparx watches the gem with a weird anticipation, waiting for this special crystal to hit the ground, and shower him with whatever power it possesses. He has only felt the regenerative magical power of a green crystal, and the devastating drain of a purple one. However, seeing the blue one, his body automatically waits for the influx of knowledge, driven by an ancestral urge.

The blue gem shatters at his feet, and absorbs into Sparx' body at the speed of light. It has been deprived for eight years to gain this knowledge, and the young son of Spyro takes a full breath of his ancestor's power. He can hear the voices more clearly, and they speak to his soul like Diamond. Sparx close his eyes, and lowers to the ground gently, calmly listening to the sounds of his own pulse.

Spyro, holding his wife and Diamond, looks down in anticipation. All dragons release a powerful blast of their new-found powers, whenever they unlock that knowledge, and that is why they are waiting above.

However, Sparx is just laying down, and calmly breathing.

"Is that it?" the young father says a bit disappointed, looking at Cynder with shock.

"It was a small crystal!" His wife replies, and Spyro slowly starts to lower back to the ground

"Are you nuts? Diamond remarks, seeing the overwhelming amount of energy building up in Sparx, and noticing they are getting closer to him. "He's gonna level this place, Spyro...get out of here!"

Suddenly Sparx' eyes open wide, and his body raises up with a glow of energy.

"Holy Sh*t...Hang on!" Spyro barks, grasping his passengers tightly, and spiraling away at great speed. He can now sense the huge buildup of power in his son.

With a bright flash of light, and one seriously loud bang, Sparx releases a series of elemental powers that envelop into one massive shock-wave. It spreads out in every direction, leveling a hundred times the amount of trees that were felled by his first blast.

Unable to get far enough away, all three dragons are jostled by his powerful blast, but are uninjured as Spyro turned his back to the explosion and held his wings out to absorb the impacting wave of energy.

"Is everyone OK?" the purple dragon remarks, turning his head back to look for his son. His eyes opening wide seeing the destruction.

"By the ancestors!" Cynder remarks as her green eyes catch a glimpse of the acreage of down trees. "Sparx did that!"

"Wow!" Diamond says with shock himself, then looks up at the purple dragon holding him in one arm. "I take it back Spyro..."

Diamond again looks at the carnage, knowing the young dragon did that with only a small gem of blue crystal.

"...Maybe the three of you should stay away from the Crystal Cave!" Diamond remarks a bit sarcastically, then looks at Spyro again with a smirk.

"I don't want you guys to ruin my home!"


	29. The Battle Within

**Well another short chapter, but again, I like this one. Maybe it's just me...and I enjoy giving only samples of the Dark Master's evil, so you don't think I'm a jerk, but I do like writing his hate-filled dialogue.**

**Wow, a 12 step meeting on fanfiction...anyway hope you enjoy this relatively dark chapter.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 29: The Battle Within<p>

_Walking through a vast desert, a small two-toned brown and black dragon wanders aimlessly for any thing that will show him the way home. For what seems likes days he has been on an endless journey, and has seen only desolation. Tear would pour from his eyes, if he wasn't so dehydrated, seeing nothing but flat land in every direction, and having no clue of his location. The small whelpling looks to the sky for answers._

"_DAD!" The young dragon barks at Titan's constellation, staring at the group of stars that were named in his father's honor. "I messed up big, and I really need your help!"_

_A young Tycor can see a slight twinkle coming from the brightest star, but it is nothing more than a flicker of light. For over an hour he stares at the one star, designated as his father's heart, and waits for anything, but only silence fills his ears. Tycor lowers to his stomach, giving up, and hoping the end comes fast and without too much pain._

"_I know Dad...I deserve to die alone for what I've done!"_

"_NO, My Son... you do not!" A voice rings in his head, and the young whelpling turns his head up to see a blinding silhouette of light standing above him._

"_DAD!" He cries, suddenly seeing his father emerge before him. "How is this possible..I watched you die!"_

"_Yes, my son...I am dead!" His voice returns, and with it, a spiritual touch from his father's paw. "And you will be sure to follow, if you don't fight his hold upon your soul!"_

"_But how do I fight something I cannot understand!" The small dragon replies, shaking uncontrollably with fear, and hoping for any answer from his father. _

"_There is ONE that can help you, and you must find that dragon!" Titan remarks to his son, holding his head up and showing him the smile he has missed for so many years_

"_Who?" The young dragon replies, but Titan slowly fades from his view. Tycor, once more, is left alone with a feeling of his loss, and unanswered questions._

"_Who can help me fight this?"_

_Suddenly the small dragon begins to choke with an invisible grip around his throat, that tightens every second. He tries to move his paws up to his neck, but they are frozen in place, held by some unseen force. The small brown whelpling begins panicking, and desperately tries to call for his father, but the tightening grip around his throat, hold his vocal cords steady. His blood-shot eyes, drip their last remaining bit of moisture, as they are slowly forced closed._

"There is NO way to fight it!" The Dark Master's voice echoes loudly in his ears.

A full-grown Tycor opens his eyes, and he is terrified the moment he gets a vision of his surroundings. Bound tightly to a large tree in a web of pulsing vines, Tycor is covered from his tail to his head. A thick cable-like vine, wraps around his face, securing the earth dragon's muzzle shut, and allowing him only to breathe. Tycor has just the use of his eyes, ears, and nose, and what they sense is puzzling to say the least.

A thick grove of trees is what he sees, with constant flashes of lightning every second, however there is no sound, and no smell.

"_Where am I?"_ He asks himself, trying to look around, but unable to budge his head an inch.

"What...you don't recognize yourself!" The voice chimes in again, and Tycor is racked with fear. "You are inside yourself, my new puppet! A dense forest of your own hatred, that was easy for me to hide your soul!"

Suddenly, Tycor gets a look at his new master, forming before the exposed eyes of the bound earth dragon, and smiling in his face.

"Don't worry, my friend, I will only be using you until my strength returns..." The swirling creature of pure dark energy remarks, then returns his snake-like eyes to Tycor's tear-filled ones. "...then I think I will reward your gracious service, by laying you to rest beside your father!"

The Earth dragon suddenly tries to break free of his shackles, and kill this monster before him, but more vines string down from the tree he is bound to, covering him twice over. His entire body is completely cocooned, covering his eyes, and leaving him in the dark. Only two small holes near his nostrils, allow air in for him to breath.

"You are pathetic, and your father will most likely be ashamed to lie beside you!"

Sounds of pain and tears come from the two air holes, and the Dark Master smiles feeling more control of the Earth dragon's power.

Inside his soul, Tycor, now humbled to perform for the Dark Master like the evil Cynder, is overwhelmed with regret.

"_Please forgive me dad! I don't know how I let this happen!"_ He says, and more sounds of his sorrow fill this dense forest of his hatred.

"I do!" Remarks the Dark Master in his ears, and Tycor shivers from his cold words. "It is because you are weak, and easy to manipulate..."

"...but I will need help now, because of your weakness..." The Dark Master's voice continues to echo in Tycor's ears. "...and this time, I will make sure they leave your home world in ruins!"

"_What do you mean, help!"_ Tycor replies anxiously.

"You will see..." The Dark Master squawks, then pauses and begins to laugh, remembering he blinded his captured soul. "...or maybe you won't!"

Total controlling the emotions of the dragon he's inside of, the Dark Master moves through the underbelly of the old city, and towards the Well of Souls. The snake-like colored dragon, weaves his way to a dark hole in the center of the Catacombs. In mere minutes, a secret tunnel leaves the Dark Master in a place that reminds him of home.

"Ahh...The Well of Souls." His voice remarks with pure joy, and quickly he flies over to the crumbled volcano of pulsing evil.

The Dark Master, hovers his new body over the broken mountain, sensing all the power he needs to fill his rage-filled soul under the rubble of the crushed volcano. He looks straight down the center of this mountain of rock and smiles.

With the element of Earth running through this stolen body, and the skill of using this element before through Malefor, The Dark Master makes a new caldera. Unleashing thousands of small pebbles from his mouth, these solid projectiles cut a path through the dense rock like a drill. The brown dragon lowers down into the hole, continuing to sand blast his way to the blocked magma-chamber of dark energy.

Suddenly, he breaks through the capped geyser of evil, and the Dark Master becomes consumed. He holds his position, absorbing the dark matter as it passes, filling him with the hateful energy he lost during his fight with his brother.

"Ahh...finally...I can be myself again!" The evil dragon remarks, looking down at his paws with disgust.

"I have had my fill of power, and I believe this worthless body is no longer needed!" The Dark Master's voice pains Tycor's mind with the last words he will hear, and the Earth dragon begins to suffocate. More vines constrict tighter around his soul, covering the air holes he's breathing through. Tycor struggles to draw breath, the pain becoming excruciating, and soon he can feel his life slipping away.

Suddenly, the Dark Master looks towards the west, and New Warfang. It is miles away, but he can still sense a huge release of power.

"_Hummmm! They are in the city now..." _The Dark Master remarks to himself. _"I may need to keep him a while longer!"_

Tycor is shocked, as the vines around his face and neck recoil, and his eyes are exposed to the forest once more. However, The Dark Master is standing before him again, with an arrogant smile.

"I think there is another task that would be perfect for this dragon's body." He says, and Tycor focuses his eyes at the evil creature of swirling energy with anger, playing with his life, like it's a game.

"I mean, why should I waste MY strength with a full-out assault of the city." The Dark Master remarks, staring into Tycor's face, and his body changes to look exactly like the earth dragon.

"It will be easier to destroy the city from within...and since it is my home, I'm sure they will just let me in!" The Dark Master continues with Tycor's voice, and the bound dragon closes his eyes seeing himself as a weapon of death. His own laughter, echoing in his ears, is making him feel worse than if he had just died.

"But the real reason I am sparing you for now, is I want you to understand how your hatred was ill placed from the start..." The Dark Master remarks looking back at Tycor with a smile. "...and because of your hatred...YOU will now be the fall of the Dragon Race!"

Suddenly the Dark Master disappears from his vision, and a tiny portal opens before Tycor's eyes. A complete vision, of what his body is doing, is shown to the bound soul of a helpless dragon.

"_You will watch as I force you to destroyed your home, just like Cynder had to, when I ordered her to kill your father!"_

Tycor lowers his head to look away, and the portal of energy follows his line of sight. He closes his eyes, but can still see everything. The Earth dragon becomes nauseous, knowing there is now way to avoid seeing his uncontrollable actions, and watches as his body continues the journey into the volcano.

"_First, my stone friend...you will witness MY power!"_

Standing in the very spot where Spyro accidentally released Malefor from the realm of Convexity, years ago, The Dark Master looks around in the debris of a collapsed room.

"Where are you, my loyal servant!" He barks out loud, and a glowing red orb catches his eyes. The two-toned brown and black dragon walks over to the crimson hue of light, and removes a large boulder from atop a stone corpse.

"They you are..." The Dark Master remarks with a smile, and places his paw down upon the broken chest of his great Ape General. "...Wake up, Gaul...It's time to go to work again!"

Suddenly the beacon of evil energy, spiraling up from the well itself, envelops the Dark Master, and his energy fills the room with a glow of dark magic.

Deep in his soul, Tycor watches with amazement as hundreds of small rocks begin to glow, then swirl around the room with the abundant amount of evil magic. He can feel more of his energy leaving his body, and a tighter grip on his soul. The Earth dragon cannot stop the power from going through his body, and watches helplessly as it recreates a powerful enemy from the past. The stones, controlled by the Dark Master's evil, begin to collect together around the broken body of the large ape warrior, filling in the gaps of his body, destroyed long ago by Spyro's uncontrolled fury.

"Come my powerful warrior!" The Dark Master says, reaching down with his right front paw, and puling the completely reconstructed Gaul to his feet. "Stand up and take your place by my side!"

"Master?" The large ape warrior remarks with some disbelief, seeing a brown dragon before him and not Malefor. However, with a quick flash of his eyes, and a pulse of his power through the paw he is still holding him with, Gaul is reminded painfully, not to question his master. He lowers down to his knees with respect by fear.

"Good, I glad you remember your master..." The Dark Master replies with arrogance, seeing his subject's loyalty. "...now do as I say!"

"What is your bidding, great one?" Gaul remarks raising his eyes up to his new keeper.

"I want you to be ready for War, my old friend!" The Dark Master remarks with a smile, staring at the red crystal eye of the large gorilla.

"But my army was defeated, my master..." Gaul remarks, and The Dark Master, raises his paw again.

Gaul flinches with fear once more, but his time he is not struck, instead the large ape watches with awe, as the Dark Master opens the wings of his symbiont body. Gaul suddenly smiles himself, seeing the large dragon controlling the energy spewing from the Well of Souls with great ease.

"We have all the power we need to replenish your army, stronger than ever..." The darkened dragon says with pure pride in his ability to control this energy, and again looks towards the city with a smile on his muzzle.

"...and this time they will find it very easy to get into New Warfang...Tycor promises you that!"

Once more, and image of the Dark Master appears before the bound spirit of a broken dragon.

"_Isn't that right my friend!"_

Tycor, closes his eyes, but can still see the Dark Master.

"_And nothing you do will stop me!"_

The Dark Master smiles, and disappears from sight without another word. The vines come to life again, constricting tightly around Tycor's chest, but leaving his eyes uncovered to see the Dark Master's work.

A massive amount of Dark Energy again passes through the Earth Dragon's bound soul, filling Tycor with an energy he remembers from his past. It is the same power that killed his family, and left him wounded from a fierce attack by Cynder. This energy now fills the room with countless soul, as Tycor watches an army of the dead rise with this evil power.

After a nearly an hour, the flow of power finally ceases, and Tycor is left physically and mentally exhausted. The Dark Master reappears before him, and just smiles as the Earth dragon slowly fades into unconsciousness.

_Waking up back in the desert_, _The younger version of Tycor can still feel the binding vines holding his soul in the forest, and can no longer look up at the stars._

"_I'm sorry Dad..." He remarks with depression. "...I can't stop him...I'm just not strong enough!"_

_Tycor tries to look back up to the stars, but can only see the twinkle of a portion of his father's constellation, and his heart aches with a fearful thought. _

"_I can only imagine how ashamed you must be!"_

"_Don't ever say that!" Titan's voice barks, and suddenly Tycor can feel something else binding his soul, the grip of his father's embrace from behind. _

"_I have always been proud of you, even at your worst moments!" The large dragon whispers in his ear, standing tall above his boy. Titan lowers his massive frame, pushing his rigid son's body down to the ground, lying atop of him to keep him warm in the cool desert night. _

"_Everything my boy has done, has only made me proud...until now!" He remarks, and Tycor begins to cry. "You have given up, and that is not what I taught my son!"_

"_But I can't do anything, Dad!" The young dragon replies sadly, and his father's grip becomes tighter then the hold the Dark Master has on his soul. _

"_YOU ARE TYCOR, SON OF TITAN!" He yells in his son's ear, and Tycor's body jostles under his father. The young dragon becomes fearful at his dad's sudden anger, but then realizes he was able to move his body._

_Titan smirks for a moment, then rises to his feet. He position himself in front of his young son, and shows him his angry face once more._

"_NOW...GET ON YOU FEET DRAGON!" Titan barks like a drill sergeant, and Tycor's eyes lock on his father with fear. "DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT...I SAID STAND UP!"_

_The young whelpling dragon, tries to move his paws, but can feel the shuttering pain of his shackled spirit. He quickly stops moving, holding his position, not wanting to hurt himself further._

"_I can't..." He starts to cry, and Titan smacks his son with a powerful paw. Tycor can feel the sting through out his entire face, and his eyes open with shock._

"_You can't..." His father remarks bitterly, then turns around to walk away. Titan looks over his shoulder at his defeated son, and takes a deep breath filled with depression. _

"_...now...I am ashamed of you!"_

_Tycor watches his father slowly fade from view, and the agony in his heart consumes him more than the stinging pain his dad just left him with. _

_The Earth dragon quickly sees flashes of his father in his memories. His mind showing him the stubborn dragon that never showed fear in battle, even if he was terrified. A single message repeats in Tycor's mind, one that a very proud father, drilled into his son's head, over and over._

"_No matter what happens in life...Never Give Up!"_

_The young dragon snaps out of his trance, and begins to move his paws. With great effort and pain, Tycor gets his legs under his body, and starts to stand up on his own. _

"_I'M NOT GIVING UP, DAD!" He yells with the overwhelming pain in his body, closing his eyes and hoisting himself up further. _

"_I SWEAR THIS TO YOU NOW... "He yells standing upright and raising his head to the sky. _

"_...I WILL MAKE YOU PROUD OF ME AGAIN!"_

_Suddenly Tycor can feel his father's wing drape over his back, and around his side._

"_That is the dragon I raised..." Titan remarks, standing by his son's side. "...now show that Dark Master, an Earth Dragon is no one to control!"_

Back in his tangled spiritual forest, Tycor's eyes open wide with life, and a very wry smirk crosses his bound muzzle.

"Yes Dad!" His muffled voice whispers through the vines holding his mouth shut tightly.

"I promise...I will!"

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><p><strong>Well now, bet you didn't expect that! Gaul and his ape army have been resurrected, and what kind of damage will they do?<strong>

**Tycor is not going to give up easily, but what can he do, that Malefor couldn't, to break free? And who is the ONE that his father said can help him? **

**I think Spyro and his family will have a very interesting day at Dragonfly Park, don't you?**

**So please stay tuned for the next chapter, and as always I would love to hear your feedback.**


	30. Unscheduled Power

Chapter 30: Unscheduled Power

Standing on the high wall that protects the south side of New Warfang, a set of cheetah eyes are locked on the horizon over the Forbidden Forest. Refusing to blink, Hunter keeps vigil in the direction he felt a massive release of power from, and the reason he is on the wall and no longer at the dedication ceremony. He felt the release of Sparx ancestral power, as did many others waiting outside the new park, and quickly made his way to the south.

Hunter saw the fading energy, coming from the Forbidden Forest, and at his cheetah speed was on the wall in a minute. Since then, he has not moved and inch, scanning the sky like a hawk, or a cheetah.

"Chief Hunter!" A squeaky voice suddenly cries up from the ground, but the stoic warrior never blinks.

"What is it, Captain?" Hunter replies, still focused on the southern skies. "Why are you distracting me again?"

"Sir...because Master Cyril is asking for you again!" The warrior mole replies sarcastically, and Hunter finally closes his eyes. The Head of the Cheetah Warriors looks down at the Manweresmall with anger.

"Tell him I will be back at the dedication when I get there..." Hunter barks with anger, hearing about the Ice Dragon's concern for the third time, then turning his eyes back out to the horizon.

"Is there any reason you need to yell at him, Chief Hunter!" A deep voice groans from behind, and the cheetah warrior spins around like a startled cat.

"Master Terrador..." He says with eyes of shock, then they return to their sharp angered stare. "...I am not going back, until I find out what that was, and I don't care if that pompous fool has a schedule or not!"

"I know Hunter...that is why he sent me out here as well...he has replaced you in the ceremony so you don't need to worry about that!" The Guardian leader replies with a smirk, then strides over to the wall alongside the Head of the Cheetah Tribe.

Hunter shakes his head, then looks back out over the forest.

"Pompous Fool!"

Terrador gives a slight laugh, and places his left front paw on Hunter's shoulder.

"I'm sure you can show your respects to Sparx at a later time!"

Hunter turns his head enough to show Terrador the corner of his right eye, and a snide grin crosses that side of his face.

"I WILL be in the ceremony TODAY..." He remarks sternly, then stares back out over the forest. "...and there is nothing that Cyril can do, that will prevent that!"

"Unless were all out here in a battle..." Terrador replies with an uneasy sarcasm in his voice, and Hunter lowers his head. "Have you seen anything yet?"

"NO!" The Cheetah warrior answers with anger in his voice, still wanting to know what just shook the entire area, but not able to see anything in the dense forest to the south. "As high as this wall is Master Guardian, I still cannot see what caused that explosion!"

"That's odd, Hunter!" Terrador quips, looking down at the base of the high barricade, and seeing no one approaching. "I would have figured whatever that was, would be attacking the city be now!"

"So did I, but nothing so fa..."

Hunter's voice trails off, as another massive release of power lights up the southern sky, now less than a mile from the city. The shock-wave hits the protective wall only seconds later, sending vibrations throughout the solid structure. Terrador and Hunter jostle around on their feet, but stay standing, focused on the huge plume of energy rising from the trees.

"By the Ancestors!" They both yelp with shock.

For nearly five minutes, Hunter and Terrador, scan the sky and listen for the army that must be approaching. However, there is nothing but an eerie silence. Only the shuffling feet of several manweresmalls can be heard, readying the southern cannon.

"Master Terrador!" The lead gunner barks from his firing chair, starting into a screen that magnifies his view, a very large plus for the nearly blind mole-like creatures. These special cannons, and many other defensive features in the city, have been provided by the Skylanders. Added protection for a respected General's home world, and greatly appreciated by the Manweresmalls that built the city. The small creatures value nothing more than to defend their home, and these remarkable cannons can do just that.

"We are picking up something, high in the air to the south." The gunner remarks, seeing two large winged creatures on the view screen.

The Earth Guardian turns his head to face the south, and so does Hunter, quickly spotting what the powerful viewer of the gun has in its site. However, being so far away, they can only see two dots in the sky flying towards the city.

"Who is that?" The Earth dragon remarks, squinting his eyes to focus harder.

"I don't know! They are coming from the Valley of Avalar, but are too big to be Spyro and Cynd...wait a minute"

Hunter pauses, squints his eyes himself, then looks back at Terridor with a smile. "It is Spyro and Cynder...He's carrying her!"

"What!" The Earth guardian replies with surprise in Hunter's ability. "How can you see that!"

The cheetah warrior is about to pat himself on the back for his incredible eyesight, when suddenly that remarkable talent of his, notices the other two dragons. His jaw drops open with shock.

"And if my eyes are not playing tricks..." Hunter says, showing Terrador the surprise on his face. "...Sparx is carrying the Great Elder!"

The Earth Guardian balks, and looks down at the ground.

"You must be mistaken, Hunter...I've never been able to carry the Great Elder" Terrador remarks with arrogance, looking back at the cheetah warrior, and shaking his head. "That can't be Spar..."

Suddenly, a small voice is heard to the right, and the Earth Guradian focuses on the battle ready Manweresmalls, aiming the cannon up for a long-range shot.

"They are in range Sir!" The gunner remarks, as the target lights up on his screen with a positive lock.

"FIRE!"

"NOOOO!" Terrador barks, holding up his front paws, and opening his wings wide, but it is too late.

Both Manweresmalls are startled by the Earth Guardian's voice, and the gunner, already with finger in motion, pulls the trigger.

* * *

><p>"Show me what you can do, Dad?" Rings in Spyro's head, and is a thought that he cannot remove. However, he has not given his answer.<p>

Flying high above Forbidden Forest, the four dragons continue their journey, two by two, towards the city. Spyro and Cynder are still in shock after witnessing the destruction their son just laid out. With only a taste of ancestral power, Sparx was able to level over a thousand acres with one fierce blast, and Spyro cannot take his eyes off the smile on his face.

Sparx, with a solid grip at the base of Diamond's wings, holds his passenger level, flying alongside his mother and father.

"Come on Dad...why won't you show me what you can do?" Sparx asks for the second time, and Spyro snaps out of his slight trance, then looks at his son with an uneasy smirk.

"I don't want to, Sparx..." Spyro replies, then looks at his wife, held tightly in his arms. "...I need to have all my strength with me today!"

"I still have half a bag of crystals here, Spyro!" The elder remarks with a smile, cutting Spyro off, and holding the satchel in his paw. "Show the boy what his Father can do!"

Spyro gives Diamond a fierce stare, then looks back up at his son.

"Maybe later...OK, Sparx...I'm just not feeling it today!"

Sparx lowers his head in flight, and his passenger, quickly places and elbow in the young dragon's ribs, as Sparx began to lower into the tree-line.

"Do you mind!" Diamond barks, as a tree branch just misses his dangling paws, and Sparx pulls up fast.

"Sorry, Great Elder..." The young dragon remarks, seeing his light purple eyes staring up with anger. "...I didn't mean to!"

"It's alright, Sparx..." Diamond kindly replies, then looks at Spyro, again with a snide grin. "...I too would be distracted, if my Father was afraid to show off his strength."

Spyro stops short, staring at the white dragon, and Sparx holds alongside, allowing Diamond to continue his taunt.

"I mean, I wouldn't want my son to find out he is stronger than his own father!"

The Purple dragon's jaw drops with shock, but deep down, he knows that is the truth. Spyro looks back from where they were, and even after flying for ten minutes, he can still see the devastated forest his son left behind.

"You right, Diamond...he is stronger than I!" Spyro remarks, then turns his eyes back to his son with pride. "But that is because his mother's power flows through him as well!"

Cynder smiles, as her husband gives her credit for Sparx' power, but suddenly shock fills her eyes as Spyro whispers in her ear.

Her smiles then increases in size, and she nods her head with acknowledgment.

Spyro stares at Sparx with a very arrogant grin.

"However, my son, if we combine our strength, like you, then you have no chance!"

Spyro releases Cynder, and Sparx watches as his mother flies forward with great speed. She spins around with a hard turn, putting great stress on her wing, but shows no sign of stopping from the pain, as she heads back towards her husband.

Spyro looks at his son once more.

"I would move to a safe distance now!" He says with a smile, then snaps his wings back, propelling himself towards Cynder.

"What are they doing?" Sparx yelps with fear, seeing his mother and father about to slam into each other head-on, when suddenly both dragons rotate their bodies to the right.

Shock fills both Diamond and Sparx' eyes, as husband and wife miss a face to face meeting at high-speed. However, a millisecond later, they connect.

Spyro and Cynder thrust their arms out at the precise moment, grabbing each other around the waist, and interlocking their bodies at high-speed. The force of impact sends them spinning at an incredible rate, filling the sky with their glowing power.

Sparx and Diamond, fixated on this incredible sight, don't move an inch, even when the glowing orb of the swirling couple drops to the ground.

Showing off the same technique they used to lay a final blow on Malefor, Spyro and Cynder demolish thousands of acres of trees with the blast created by both of their powers combined. A massive shock-wave domes out in every direction, leveling an area twice the size of the one Sparx left behind, however, a large gap is left in one direction. A mother and father also showing their son control, as a small opening in the blast-wave assures, he will not be struck by their power.

Diamond and Sparx are left in wonder as the shock-wave moves by, leaving them in a stunning silence, like the calm after a violent storm. Both dragons look down as Spyro and Cynder stop twirling, and land on the ground with a little wobble. However, they quickly regain balance, and look up at their son with smiles.

"WOW!" The young dragon remarks, wagging his tail, and shooting down towards his parents.

"That was incredible, Mom!" He yelps with excitement, then looks back at the thin sliver of trees still standing where they were, as the shock-wave continues to level the rest of the forest. Sparx looks back at his father with eagerness in his eyes.

**"How did you do that Dad?"**

Spyro smiles, feeling a sudden moment of pure joy, hearing his son ask him a question about technique. He was so sure Malefor taught him more than he possibly knew, and that is what really had bothered Spyro...not to be able to teach his son anything.

But now, hearing and seeing his son's reactions, the purple hero lets his emotions run wild, and blurts out one single happy thought.

"Wow, maybe my son can learn a few things from me!" The proud father remarks, but his wife suddenly gives him a very strange look, and Spyro notices quickly.

"What is it Cynder?"

The dark dragoness shakes her head, then looks over at Diamond with confusion in her eyes.

"It's nothing!" She remarks, but the Spirit dragon can see panic. A dark streak of fear entangles with Cynder's pure aura, and the elder breaks Sparx' hold, walking over and quickly placing his paw on her side.

"_Are you OK, my dear!"_ He says to her mind, staring dead into her terrified green eyes.

"I don't know!" Cynder replies, but Diamond can hear her real reply inside.

"_I heard my husband's thoughts!"_

The Spirit dragon smiles in Cynder's face, then looks at Spyro with his large grin.

"_Do not worry my young dragon..."_ He says, looking back at the dark dragoness' aura, seeing it swirl with doubt and fear. _"...You are finally feeling your true power!"_

_"My What!" _Cynder's thoughts scream, as more doubt swirls into her spirit.

Diamond places his paw upon Cynder's red chest, and holds the back of her neck with his wing.

"_Please, you must trust me, Cynder"_ The Elder whispers quietly and sternly. _"...we have no time for an explanation here, however I will tell you everything when we get to the city...I promise." _

Diamond turns to Spyro, showing him a genuine smile, and the worried husband is calmed slightly with his nonchalant attitude. However the purple dragon's nerves do not settle for long, feeling his wife shuttering in his arms.

"What happen Cynder...Please tell me!" He asks, his eyes showing that he wants the truth.

Diamond gives her a look and shakes his head NO, but Cynder just turns away, staring into her husband's eyes

"I was able to hear your thoughts!" She says with concern, then looks down to the ground, worried about Spyro and Diamond's reaction.

Suddenly she can feel her husband's paw grasp her jaw gently, and lift her eyes up to his.

"So what..." Spyro replies calmly, shrugging his shoulders like she told him nothing of importance. "...I hear can your thoughts all the time too...It's called love!"

"No Spyro..It wasn't like that!" Cynder replies softly, now staring at him with fear. "I heard every single thought you had at that moment!"

A tear falls from her left eye, not understanding how she did it, but mostly seeing some doubt in Spyro's eyes. However, a smirk crosses her face, thinking of a way to prove to her husband, she heard everything.

"I even know...how you think I put too much pepper in the stew last night!"

Spyro does a double take...He never said a word to her about that, and was actually thinking about it at that moment, since he can still taste it.

"How in the name of the ancestors did you know that!" His voices echoes in the opened forest, but Cynder just lowers her head, again with fear.

"I don't know how!"

"OK Cynder...are you happy now...you told him..." The white dragon says sarcastically to the young couple. "... now if the two of you will just come along already, we will have over an hour before the dedication to discuss what just happened!"

Diamond looks towards the north, and can see the large southern wall in the distance, then looks back at Spyro with a large smile. "Or we can spend that time listening to Cyril yell at us for ruining his schedule!"

A smile crosses the purple dragon's muzzle, and slowly he begins to settle. A small grin forms on Cynder's features as well, hearing her husband chuckle slightly, and getting a visual, in her head, of the Ice Guardian throwing a tantrum.

"You really think he would be angry for only an hour!?" Cynder remarks with her own sarcasm, and Spyro laughs harder. He grabs his wife tightly with the joy of hearing her calm down, and holds her steadily before him, showing the gratefulness in his eyes.

"I care a great deal about my brother, and this dedication..." Spyro says, looking deep into Cynder's eyes. "...but I care more about you..."

"If you wish to stay here and talk abo..."

Cynder kisses her husband, stopping Spyro mid sentence, never taking her eyes from his.

"NO!" She remarks, after breaking her kiss, then looks over towards the city, clearly in view from the flattened area of the forest. The dark dragoness looks gently into her husband's eyes, and continues with a little more sarcasm. "I guess I can wait till we get all-the-way over there!"

"Trust me..." Spyro whispers in her ear, grabbing his wife tightly around the waist, and holding her chest to chest. "...it won't take long either!"

He thrusts his wings down, lifting them both off the ground at high-speed, and Cynder shutters from her husband's power. She tightly wraps her arms, legs, and wings around her husband's solid frame, as Spyro spirals up from the ground. She never screams a peep, nor does she even say a word. Understanding a little more of the power inside, the dark dragoness allows herself to hear Spyro's thoughts, not closing her mind to the voice she hears from inside her love, and listening to it like his heart beat. The young dragoness, once more, is entranced by her husband's thoughts, and all of them are for her and her son.

Spyro stops a thousand feet in the air, and hovers, looking over the large city to the north with pride. He can see several dragons flying around the tall towers of the large palace, stretching to the sky majestically, and Cynder can feel a boost in his emotions.

Then Sparx flies up beside him, and Cynder can feel more pride in her husband then she has ever felt before.

"Are you ready to see the city your mother and I helped build!" Spyro remarks to his boy, as he levels off beside him, and Sparx' eyes light up further as he takes them from the large city, and focuses on his father.

"You and Mom, built THAT?" He says with awe, then looks back at the massive city with an even grater appreciation of what he sees.

"WOW!"

Though they did not build the city brick by brick, Spyro and his wife did help to raise some of the larger structures with their power and strength. And of course, if they didn't save the world, the city would not have been built either.

But pride in his work is not what Cynder hears from Spyro's thoughts, gazing at his son's amazement. It is the look in Sparx' eyes, that is drawing his father's attention and it makes Cynder turn hear head to look as well.

She can see it to, and hears it clearly in her husband's thoughts, as well as her own.

"_He looks so much like you, Cynder..."_ Spyro thinks to himself, hoping she can hear him. _"...and his eyes now...so much remind me of yours...the day you said 'I do'!"_

Cynder turns her attention back to Spyro, and he can see by her expression and cheek color, that she can hear him clearly. A large smile fills his face, as his thoughts continue.

"_...after we kissed...you looked out over the valley in such a different way, and I knew from that moment, you saw things in a new light. I loved that look in your eyes...and I see it again...in you...and my son."_

Cynder plants her muzzle against his, and Spyro can feel his wife's response without the use of words as well.

Diamond can see the glow of both dragon's spirits beside him, and a smile fills his face, however he suddenly feels Sparx' emotion turn sour.

With a barrage of thoughts from the young dragon, Diamond can hear Sparx scream with concern, and turns his head towards the city to see what has spooked his valet. His eyes catching the remnants of a blast from the main cannon.

"_By the Ancestors, Sparx...MOVE!"_ He orders with his mind, seeing the projectile ripping a path through the air with his vision. However, the young dragon does not heed his words. Sparx quickly notices his parents are in the path as well, not paying attention to anything but themselves, and realizing in a split second, that there is no time for them to avoid being hit.

"_Sorry, Diamond!"_ The young dragon remarks with his thoughts, then releases his hold on the Great Elder.

Diamond, with a terrifying fear of falling, begins to freak out as he drops, however his attention is drawn up, as Sparx' body transforms above him.

Spyro and Cynder are startled from their kiss as well, when a loud crackle of thunder fills their ear, and a bright flash of light blinds them temporarily. Both are suddenly showered with thousands of small stones, as the large cannon ball, they never saw, is pulverized with a flash of lightning, they didn't see either.

Diamond, after falling only a few feet, can feel the sudden sting of a surge of electricity, then the solid grip of Sparx' paws on his wings.

"_Are you OK!"_ His voice echoes, and the Elder is now beside himself.

"What the hell did you just do?" He asks out loud, and his parents are now interested in this answer as well, slowing hovering over to their son.

"I'm sorry I dropped you like that Diamond, but I had to use a Lightning Strike!" Sparx replies with no hesitation, looking at the Great Elder and his parents like it was a simple task. "And...it's not a good idea for me to hold anyone while I'm doing it!"

Sparx gives a slight chuckle, however, the young dragon's smirk disappears seeing everyone's shocked reaction.

"Did you just turn yourself into a bolt of lightning!?" Spyro asks with surprise, still holding his stunned wife, and both staring at their son with questioning eyes.

Sparx looks down, feeling like he did something wrong, and does not answer.

"You learned that from Malefor, didn't you?" He continues, and the young dragon lowers his head further.

"Yes!" He replies with fear, still unsure of his father's feelings towards him learning anything from Malefor.

Spyro reaches out his right paw, and ever so gently lifts his son's chin to see the smile on his face.

"Can you teach me how to do that?"

The young dragon pauses with surprise, then Spyro's words sink in, and his tail begins to wag with excitement.

"Of course I can Dad..." The young dragon remarks with great pride, seeing the eagerness in his father's eyes, much like his own. "...it would be my honor to teach you anything I can!"

Spyro stares deep into his child's eyes, then smiles, and turns his attention back to his wife.

"Sorry Cynder..." He says with a slightly sarcastic tone in his voice. "...I guess I will be spending a lot of time with my son too, so I will only be able to see you...half the time!"

The happy mother smiles gratefully, and hugs her husband tightly.

"Don't you remember what you said?" She whispers in his ear, and Spyro can suddenly hear her thoughts, like Diamond.

"_He is a part of me!" _Spyro's eyes open with shock, and he looks at Cynder, whom seems to be understanding more of this new power. She turns her head, stares into her son's eyes showing him a smile, then continues her thought to her husband.

"_Spending time with him...is spending time with me!"_


	31. Rising Threat

**Time for a physical chapter...in fact...I think from here out we should have some fighting in every chapter, so hope you enjoy a small taste of this final war against the dark master, and his army.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 31 Rising Threat<p>

In a cave, hidden behind a concealed waterfall in the south-east side of the Valley of Avalar, a very mysterious character stares into a small fire. An old hermit cheetah that has lived in this place for decades, and was not asked to leave when Cynder and Spyro moved in.

The one that held a vital key, then made the dark dragoness feel embarrassed about her past, and the one that Cynder made sure, stayed behind to see the difference in her life. They never really became friends, in fact, the old hermit never even gave a word of appreciation, being allowed to stay in the Valley, however that never bother Cynder. She was almost happy just to show him everyday, for the rest of his life, that his prediction was wrong.

When it came time, the puppet turned her back on the Dark Master.

Now, spending time alone with just his crazy thoughts, the old hermit sits down before a fire. He begins sipping from a bowl, filled with stew Cynder left for him, another way of rubbing her kindness in his face, but nonetheless the old cheetah enjoys it.

"Ah Cynder...I'm so glad I was wrong!" The one time fierce cheetah warrior remarks aloud, then looks over at a large rock beside the fire.

"Would you not agree, she has redeemed herself, my friend!" He says, then waits for answer. Several seconds later the old creature nods his head, and takes another large gulp from his bowl.

"Yup...but she still puts too much pepper in her stew!"

Suddenly the ground shakes, and the old cheetah's eyes catch a plume of smoke rise from the peak of Cynder's home. With fear for a friend, the old cheetah rises with concern, and runs outside of his cave.

As fast as his feet can move, the old hermit crosses the river in front of his home, and climbs the high cliff that blocks him off from the world.

At the top of this natural wall, his old eyes, still sharp as when he was young, catch two dragons running from Spyro's home. However, he rubs his eyes vigorously, then returns them to the mouth of the cave.

"That is not Spyro!" He remarks to himself, seeing the size of the purple dragon that emerged. Shock fills his heart, knowing his eyes really do see what they see.

"THAT'S MALEFOR!"

The old hermit freezes for a moment, not understanding what is going on, and fearing greatly for the only friend he has.

"Cynder, please, tell me you are not at home!" He says to himself, with a tear slowly rolling down his cheek.

Suddenly anger fills his expression, and the old cheetah warrior looks back at his cave with vengeance in his eyes.

Like he was young again, the old hermit leaps down the sheer cliff, slowing his speed by dragging his claws, and leaping across the river as he nears the bottom. Using the momentum of his near free-fall, the old warrior uses only two well placed jumps to get back into his high cave. With haste, the hermit grabs his old armor from the back wall, and puts it on in a second. Turning back to the exit, the old cheetah warrior catches another glimpse, this time of himself in a mirror, and remembers the last time he wore this armor. It was while fighting Cynder, and the reason there is so much damage to it.

"I will fight fiercely for you, my one time enemy..." He remarks, holding his sword towards the reflection. "...and you will see that I no longer doubt your loyalty!"

The old hermit runs back outside, but is once again startled. A dark purple mist has suddenly blanketed the entire area, and with it the old hermit can sense death.

"What evil is this?" He asks aloud, spinning around to see the mist start forming into creatures.

A veritable graveyard of souls, many apes found their final resting place in front of the hermits home, destroyed by Spyro and Cynder.

Now, with the Dark Master's power from the Well of Souls, they are all coming back to life.

"Well...it looks like I won't need to go far for a fight..." The old hermit remarks with a snickering laugh, then plunges his sword into the first ape that fully reappears before him. As fast as it rose, the large gorilla warrior is back down on the ground, vaporizing into the dust he came from.

"...and it looks like this will be my last fight!" The old hermit continues, seeing over a hundred more appear around his home, all with their eyes angrily locked upon a comrades killer.

"So be it..." He says with pride, snapping his sword back, and lowering into a very deep crouch.

"...but I'm going to take a bunch of you with me!"

He leaps at the mob of creatures, striking several of the apes across the neck with surgical precision, and slashing at the others with his sharpened claws. The old hermit takes down a good amount with his first pass, but unfortunately it his only pass.

Out numbered over hundred to one, the old cheetah is quickly overwhelmed by a barrage of punches and kick, all laying devastating damage to his delicate old frame. He falls to the ground, where the mob continually tramples him until he stops fighting. Surrendering to the pain, the old hermit curls up to protect himself, but shockingly the apes stop striking at that exact moment.

"Where is Spyro and Cynder?" A group of distorted voices bark in unison, and the hermit can see though there are many, they seem to be thinking as one.

The old hermit gives a snicker once again, seeing his end coming one way or another, knowing he will not give them any information. However, from the corner of his eye, he can see the other way.

With all the strength he has left, the old warrior suddenly leaps into the air towards the raging river. Knowing it leads to the valley, and using its incredibly fast current, the hermit sees it as his only chance to get away.

The old cheetah can almost feel the quenching taste of freedom, as his front paws hit the water, however, he suddenly feels a sting of pain in his chest and legs. His thoughts go silent, and his eyes open like saucers under the water, as the river around him is dyed red in blood.

As the old cheetah floats back to the surface, carried off by the powerful surge of the river, his eyes focus down and fill with horror. He can see several arrows sticking from his chest, stomach, and legs.

"_NO!"_ He says with pain in his heart, feeling his voice will be silenced before he can warn her. He looks back up at the large sun, high in the sky, and a tear drips from his eye seeing the brightness fade from his sight.

"_I should have been there for you long before now...Cynder!"_

* * *

><p>Lying beside the western fall, Monsoon is still enjoying the churning mist of water vapor on his sleeping body. His scales coated with millions of droplets, cooling his soul, and allowing him to be at one with his element.<p>

Suddenly a rumble from Spyro's cave shutters the large dragon, and he sits up angry as the coat of water is shaken from his body.

His deep blue eyes lock upon the two dragons running from Spyro's home, and his concern suddenly rises, as smoke billows from the mouth of the cave and the summit of the mountain. The large dragon is about to run over to assist, however the fear in Malefor's face holds him in place. He is still angry at the purple dragon, not just for his past which he has forgiven, but for making him look bad in front of his master.

Monsoon, with a big smile on his muzzle, discreetly backs himself into the river and out of sight.

In the south-east corner of the valley, the water dragon finally pulls his head up. Able to breath underwater, Monsoon has put serious distance from where he was, before showing himself. His smile increases in size, seeing Malefor and Excelcius looking towards the western falls, then panicking as they don't see the powerful fire extinguisher they were looking for.

Just wanting peace and quiet on his 'day off', Monsoon swims slowly up a smaller river to his left, and is startled to find a seclude waterfall, one that seems to have been forgotten by all. A canopy of vines and trees that cover the river, block this incredible waterfall from everyone's view, and only a few even know of its existence.

Monsoon glides against the current, using his massive wings to push against the heavy flow from this small but strong river. He pulls himself from the water and looks around at the dense overgrowth of a hidden area with smile. The large dragon inhales the almost fog of water vapor, stuck under the umbrella of hundreds of hanging branches, tasting the sweetness of the pure river. A deep groan of relaxation fills the air, and Monsoon drops to the ground on his stomach once more. The large dragon rolls around in the tall wet grass, allowing it to coat his scales again with moisture, enjoying every second of his new favorite spot in the world.

Suddenly shock fills his eyes, as he looks back towards the river, and notices something floating in the pristine waters. In a second he realizes what it is, and quickly leaps into the river pulling the old cheetah hermit from the water. His eyes fill with surprise, as he sees the arrows that are laced across his lower half, then shock as the old cheetah begins to speak.

"Cyn...der... in... Dan...gerrrrrrr!"

The old hermit collapses in his paws, and Monsoon turns his head towards the falls. He can hear the squealing noise of an army of creatures approaching, and can smell the stench of evil saturating the river.

The large dragon groans with anger, and holds the hermit tightly in his paws. He can still feel his pulse, but knows quickly, he will need help. He opens his wings wide, thrusting them down and smashing through the canopy above. He can see the purple dragon and his fiery friend only a few hundred yards away, and quickly Monsoon heads in their direction.

* * *

><p>Running through the hallway, both of their faces covered in soot, Malefor and Excelcius try to find the only help they can to put a huge fire out. However, when they get to the cave entrance, and took a second to catch their breath, the fire extinguisher disappeared from sight.<p>

"Where...did he go?!" Malefor remarks, coughing through his words to remove the excess smoke from his lungs.

"I...don't...see him!" Excelcius replies with the same stress for oxygen. "Why don't...you put it out, it was your fault!"

"I'm not that good with water...Excelcius...I can't put out...a fire that size!" Malefor continues, still struggling to get air, and more so as panic begins to set in. He looks at the fire dragon with anger, and pushes the blame to him "And I'm not the one that did that...you did!"

"YOU TOLD ME TO LET GO!" Excelcius barks with anger, his lungs now clear and filled with air. "HOW IS THIS MY FAULT!"

Malefor looks back into the cave, and can see the smoke beginning to get thicker in the living room.

"Because, without a doubt, he will kill me for wrecking his home..." Malefor says with a quick smirk, looking at Excelcius with a certain pride in his eyes.

"...but he will think twice about striking a Guardian Dragon!"

Excelcius suddenly looks back at the large purple dragon with shock in his eyes, hearing the words from his mouth.

"I can't believe they want me to be the next Fire Guardian!" He remarks with a bit of doubt in his voice, looking down, and feeling this overwhelming thought sink in.

"Do you really think I'm ready for that?"

Malefor pauses for only a second before nodding his head in approval.

"I think you would make a great Fire Guardian, because I see a strength inside of you...much like Ignitus himself." Malefor replies, placing his paw upon the red dragon's shoulder, and showing him no doubt in his solid stare.

"I see a powerful but humble dragon, one that cares only for others above himself, and that is the true strength of a Guardian." The purple dragon continues, feeling the spirit of Excelcius flow through his soul. "I have no doubt, that Avalar is about to receive their greatest Fire Guardian...ever!"

The young fire dragon finally looks up from the ground, and can see nothing but truth in Malefor's stare. Tears begin to form in the eyes of Excelcius, and he lowers his head once again.

"Thank you, Malefor..." He remarks with a deep humbleness in his voice. "I only hope I can meet your expecta..."

Malefor suddenly places a paws on Excelcius' muzzle to silence him, then takes a step towards the south-east.

"What is that?" He barks with fear, feeling a surge of power coming from the other side of the valley, and quickly Excelcius can see his worry.

"What is it Malefor?" The fire dragon asks with concern, removing his mouth from the purple dragon's paw.

"I don't know..." Malefor returns his eyes to Excelcius, showing his deep concern. " ...but what ever it is...I can tell it is EVIL!"

Suddenly both dragons are startled, as Monsoon blasts up from the canopy of trees they are staring at. The blue dragon's massive size sends debris flying in all directions, but quickly Excelcius can tell it is the large protector of the Great Elder.

"That's Monsoon, Malefor..." The Fire Dragon barks sarcastically, slowly relaxing his posture, and continues his sarcastic retort to the large purple dragon's fear. "...he maybe a big pain the butt, but he's not Evil!"

Malefor turns his head to show Excelcius he is not smiling, and his eyes show anger and rage.

"Maybe you're not a very good Guardian...if you cannot see what he is carrying!"

The fire dragon quickly becomes serious, hearing that last statement, and returns his eyes to the approaching blue dragon. He can now see that Monsoon is carrying someone, and his eyes fill with shock, also noticing his blue chest scales are stained red.

"By the ancestors...who is that!" Excelcius remarks, returning to his defensive posture.

"Now that you can see..." Malefor remarks placing his paw on Excelcius' side. "...It maybe more helpful if you can FEEL!"

Suddenly Excelcius is dropped to his stomach with an overwhelming sensation of pain from Malefor's touch, and he screams in agony. However, through the pain, he can feel a something else.

"Feel the evil that the Dark Master uses to control, and you will know when his power is around you..." Malefor remarks, sending a pulse of the dark energy that still courses through his body. He then removes his paw from Excelcius and lowers his head down to the hurt fire dragon, continuing this warning with a great amount of seriousness in his voice.

"...use this to help you focus on his energy, and you will know friend from foe!"

Suddenly Excelcius' eye pop open, and he looks towards the south-east section of the valley.

"I can feel them!" He says with pain in his voice, slowly retaking his feet after the powerful inflow of energy, and keeping his eyes locked on the evil he now senses.

"Good!" Malefor remarks, returning his eyes to Monsoon, whom is just now landing before them.

The large water dragon gives Malefor an indifferent stare, but quickly looks down at the old hermit in his arms, then back at the purple dragon with sincerity. Malefor knows he cannot talk, and is quick to understand.

The purple dragon places his paw upon the severely injured cheetah, and is fast to give him a pulse of life. With the old hermit's size, and his likeness to a creature he spent millions of years living with, Malefor is able to stabilize a cheetah far easier than a dragonfly.

The old hermit takes a deep breath, and is shocked as his eyes open wide. He can see two dragons standing above him. A blue one that he thought was hearing his last words, and a purple one that he would use his last breath to kill.

"Malefor...you evil bastard...how can you keep doing this to Cynder!" The hermit cries out with anger, pushing the purple paw from his chest, not wanting any help from the Dark Master.

"Easy old one...I am just trying to help you..." Malefor replies, gazing down at the injured cheetah, showing him a stern look that he has seen from Spyro's eyes many times. "...and I am not here to fight with Cynder...in fact, I will never hurt her again!"

The injured hermit pauses for a moment, seeing his eyes and feeling the truth from them, like Spyro, but his memories are bitter, and the old warrior sense deception from the old Dark Master.

"You are a good liar!" He replies, then turns his head away.

The large purple dragon lowers his head with depression, knowing that everyone is going to react the same way.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, but I am telling the tr..."

"Malefor...LOOK!" Excelcius remarks, startling the purple dragon to turn his attention in the direction he feels this evil power, and seeing the first wave of apes exiting from the secluded waterfall.

The purple dragon then suddenly relaxes his posture, and he breathes a sigh of relief.

"Good..it is only a few hundred or so, and not the whole damn army!" Malefor quips, seeing the group emerge into the open. He has full knowledge of Gaul's army, especially the amount of soldiers he had.

Malefor forcefully places his paw back on the hermit's chest, and looks at Monsoon with humbleness.

"I know how much you hate me!" He says over the angry reaction from the old cheetah, being healed against his wishes. "But I need your help...PLEASE!"

Monsoon gives him another indifferent look, but then nods his head in acceptance. The large dragon turns to the army ready to defend the purple dragon while he heals the wounded cheetah.

"That is not what I need your help with, big fella!" Malefor remarks, and Monsoon spins around with a questioning expression on his face.

Malefor lowers his head looking at the old cheetah, and smiles as he slowly passes out from being numbed by his power. The purple dragon then returns his eyes to Monsoon.

"I will take care of the old hermit...but I need you to put out this fire before Spyro's home is destroyed, and he kills me!" Malefor remarks with seriousness, and Monsoon looks behind him into the cave.

His eyes open like saucers, seeing the thick smoke emerging from the living room, and looks back at Malefor with a very arrogant smirk. The water dragon shakes his head no, but that is not what he means, and the purple dragon kinda understands again.

Monsoon knows with the amount of smoke billowing out...Spyro's home is a loss, and Malefor is dead already.

He turns his head back to the small army of apes, and grunts, however Malefor again understands and gives a slight chuckle.

"No...it will not be necessary for you to fight..." Malefor barks with laughter, then looks at the new Fire Guardian. "Excelcius can handle that little threat!"

The Fire Dragon finally stops staring at the large mob of apes, and returns a startled glare to Malefor.

"ME?!" The red dragon exclaims, turning even a brighter shade with embarrassment of his fearful sounding reply.

"What you don't think you can handle that little group!" The purple dragon remarks sarcastically, then looks back at Spyro's burning home. "I mean, you did a pretty good job burning this place to the ground!"

Excelcius again turns a brighter shade, then looks back at the army with fear.

"I just don't know if I can HANDLE that many!"

Malefor takes his paw from the old hermit, and places it upon Excelcius' flank, but this time he does not hurt him, he heals him. Making sure the young dragon is filled to capacity with magic and life, Malefor gives his a transfer of power, then stares dead into his eyes.

"You can handle them easily, if you...LET GO!"

Excelcius can feel a boost to his pride, as his teacher makes a simple request of his new student.

"Show me what you've learned!"

A small smile is all he shows, then Excelcius turns toward the army and crouches down. The young dragon pins his wings back, rocking back on his hind legs, and readies himself to pounce.

"OK, Master...watch this!" Excelcius remarks, and takes off leaving a wake of warm air behind.

Monsoon can feel the power generated by the fire dragon, raising his paw to block his face from the heat, and is overwhelmed with shocked as he disappears like a shot.

Raising his core temperature, the oxygen around his body ignites, leaving a rooster tail of fire in his scorched path. The awesome power he has learned, is now added to a basic skill from Spyro's teaching, making a simple comet dash, a flaming wave of destruction.

He slams the front-line of this evil army like a wrecking ball, sending countless creatures flying in all directions. They howl in pain as their bodies begin to burn from intensely heated ball, that splits the army down the center. The ones he hit dead on, they were lucky enough to vaporize on contact, never feeling a thing.

Malefor smiles at the sight of his young student's power, but it is the pride inside he is feeling more, hearing the word Master from Excelcius.

It is something he has not been called in a while by another dragon, and deep down that shocked him. However, his smile fades, and his pride is crushed with doubt as Excelcius repeats the same mistake he made in Spyro's home. The flaming ball comes to an explosive stop as he hits the back wall of the valley.

"I need to teach him how to STOP his momentum, before he destroys everything in his path!" Malefor remarks, then looks at Monsoon with a smile.

The still startled water dragon turns back to Malefor, his mouth wide open, after seeing the quick end to a small army with relative ease.

"Now, will you please put this fire out...my friend!" Malefor begins to beg, sounding more and more desperate for the water dragon's help. "I would be most grate..."

Monsoon holds his paw up, stopping Malefor from speaking, then gives him an angry look. He still cannot get the image of him as the Dark Master, and murderer of his family from his mind.

However, his eyes focus down upon the hermit, and he can see his arrow covered body is only breathing because of Malefor's magic.

The water dragon, living alongside Diamond for so long, understands the meaning of valor, but is upset that he is seeing it from the one he wanted to kill. With a deep regret, but a sense of duty, Monsoon grunts with anger, then walks into the cave.

"You are upset that I called you...friend!" Malefor remarks, as Monsoon marches by.

He stops his feet, and turns his head toward the purple dragon, not sure how he understood that. It was exactly what he was thinking, but now he feels bad about having that feeling, as he can see the depression fill Malefor's eyes.

"I hope someday, you can accept that I mean that! If not, I will continue to try to make peace with you...that is all I can do!" The purple dragon remarks, as he returns his eyes to the old hermit laying before him. "Until then...I must do what I can for him...maybe I can find forgiveness from someone else!"

Malefor begins slowly removing the arrows one by one, making sure to use a delicate touch, knowing that the old hermit can still be killed if he doesn't pay attention.

Monsoon can see his focus is now on the old cheetah, and he turns away feeling a bit ashamed of himself. However, the old blue dragon remembers his family, and once again a bitter grunt comes from his nostrils. Malefor can hear him storm away, and his focus is broken again with depression.

"It will be hard for many of the older creatures of this world to forgive me!" He says to the unconscious cheetah, just trying to talk it out to himself, however his depression consumes him as he continues his healing work. "I'm sure that you will be ready to use this life I'm giving back...to take mine!"

Tears roll down Malefor's muzzle, as the purple dragon begins to cry, hearing the truth in his head.

"I should have never left that hellish prison...I belong there!" He yells, looking up at the sky. "I would have been happier to die alone!"

Suddenly, the purple dragon is startled by a grip upon his right front leg, and more so seeing the old hermit's eyes focused upon his.

"No you would not..." His old voice squawks, staring into his purple eyes and reading him like a book. "...you need his acceptance, Malefor...along with everyone that you betrayed...and you will not rest until you have it!"

The purple dragon lowers his head down to the old cheetah, and gives up his biggest fear.

"I will never be able to rest..." He remarks, closing his eyes, allowing more tears to trickle down his muzzle. "...I have cause so much pain to my own kind, that I will never be allowed to call Avalar my home again!"

Malefor looks back inside Spyro's cave, and can see the smoke turning to steam, as Monsoon begins dousing the large fire in the rear room. He is happy to see the water dragon doing what he asked, but knows it is probably because he respects Spyro, and not because he asked.

"I have no chance to redeem myself..."

Suddenly Malefor is startled as a paw is wrapped across his face, and he looks down to see anger in the old cheetah's eyes.

"You are a coward after all, and you don't deserve my acceptance if you give up that easy!" The old hermit barks in his face. He reaches his paw around the back of Malefor's neck, pulling his head down, while lifting himself up. The old hermit presses his nose against Malefor's before continuing.

"Cynder did not give up...and now she is a respected member of the dragon race, and a Skylander!"

The old warrior cheetah releases his grip, and begins to fall back to the ground. Malefor catches his body before impact, and gently lays him down.

"If you give up now..." The old cheetah remarks softly, looking out over the valley of Avalar, and seeing a very happy fire dragon looking over his quick victory. He looks up at the large purple dragon with a smile. "...then who will that Fire Dragon be able to respect!"

Suddenly the sound of laughter fills Malefor's ears, and he looks up at Excelcius. The large purple dragon smiles seeing the same thing the old hermit does.

"WOW!" The young dragon remarks, standing in the center of the scorched patch of grass, where he wiped-out an entire army on his own. The new Fire Guardian looks up at Malefor, by Spyro's cave, and shows a smile that can be seen from that distance.

"You see Malefor... you have already started the ball in motion!" The old hermit continues, snickering with a laughter that chills the purple dragon's spine. It is if he can read his mind, like Diamond.

"There are those that have found the real Malefor, and there are those that you will need to show over and over and over...just like Cynder had too!" The old cheetah returns his eyes to Malefor, looking deep into his soul. "But I see the same stubborn eyes of a purple dragon I know, and he would never give up...no matter how hard things got!"

Malefor nods his head up and down, feeling a little better about himself. He cares not how this old hermit can understand his feelings, and is grateful to hear any encouraging word. The purple dragon again looks up at Excelcius, and seeing the young fire dragon approach, still smiling from ear to ear, lifts his spirits even higher.

"He was a very easy dragon to talk to..." Malefor remarks, remembering the conversation in Spyro's home with Excelcius alone, and how he never made mention of him being the Dark Master. He was convinced

"...he understands, and I think he already forgave me!"

"I too understand, Malefor!" The old cheetah remarks, and the purple dragon turns his eyes to him with shock. He can see a smug smile on the old hermits snout, and is quickly puzzled.

"You forgive me?" he asks sheepishly, and tears again begin to form in Malefor's eyes

" Not yet!" The old hermit barks, startling Malefor once more, then looks down at the arrow still sticking from his chest. "You still haven't finished apologizing!"

The purple dragon smiles, and gives a slight chuckle himself. However his eyes show worry, as he places his paw around the last arrow in the old cheetah's chest.

"It is very close to your heart, so lay still, and I will do the rest." Malefor says confidently, and the old hermit nod his head.

"Wait!" The injured cheetah barks, suddenly reaching up and placing his paw on the side of the purple dragon's neck. He looks deep into his eyes, recalling his own past, and how he should have made amends with Cynder that first day.

"If I die...I want you to tell Cynder...I'm sorry!" He remarks, and Malefor can now see tears in his eyes. "I should have believed her, and I want her to know that...and I want you to know that as well."

The old hermit closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath which he knows maybe his last.

"I know now you are not the Dark Master, and I can easily forgive something for what you BOTH...had no control of!"

Malefor lowers his head all the way the ground, right next to the old hermit's ear.

"Thank you!" He whispers, while slowly removing the arrow.

The cheetah bucks up from the pain, but Malefor's puts his weight down on his chest, holding him steady.

"Now hang on!" He whispers again, and hermit bucks again, from inflow of magic to the wound. Malefor holds him steady again trying to quiet his movements by explaining what he is doing.

"Our hearts must beat as one, my old friend, or I cannot heal your wounds!" Malefor says, gently grasping his head and holding his eyes on his own. "You must stay with me, and try to calm down!"

The old hermit can see the resolve in his eyes, and shows the same right back, finding the strength inside to hang for as long as he can. The old cheetah, suddenly takes a deep breath, and his heart begins to pound within his chest. He can see a glowing energy envelop his body, and with it a deep state of relaxation.

His chest expands with another deep inhale, and he notices that his breathing is in near harmony with Malefor's. He can also feel the purple dragon's power now easily flowing through him, as they become more in sync with each other. The regenerating magic flows from Malefor, healing every wound on his body. The purple dragon removes the last two arrows from the old hermit's legs, and both holes close in seconds. The magic then continues to flow until Malefor can feel every single injury heal to one hundred percent. That includes the damaged leg he has limped around on since his fight with Terror of the Skies.

After a few moments, Malefor lifts the old warrior to his feet, and removes his paw from the hermit's chest. The shock on his eyes is apparent in a second, feeling his body as if it were young again.

"What did you do to me?" he asks with worry in his voice, feeling himself as something different.

"I gave you a taste of a purple dragon's true power...regeneration" Malefor replies quickly hearing a sound of concern in the old one's voice. "I thought it would be an appropriate gift for your forgiveness!"

The cheetah warrior turn around and looks down at right leg, flexing it and feeling the sensation of it being completely repaired.

"I did not ask for this!" He barks, turning back to Malefor to show anger in his eyes. "I did not want to be healed of my reminder!"

"Reminder!" Malefor retorts, looking back with questioning eyes, and the old hermit lowers his head. "Reminder of what?"

The old hermit looks down at his leg again, and remembers how he had The Terror of the Skies beaten.

"I could have killed her long ago, before she released you from the realm of convexity, but I didn't...and to this day I never understood why!"

The old hermit pauses, then looks back at Malefor, and suddenly smiles.

"But now I think I finally understand!" The old hermit quips, thinking it all out in his crazy mind. He walks over to the large purple dragon, placing his hand upon his jaw, and looking deep into his eyes.

"It is fate that I let her live, and the reason you are here..." He says, turning his attention to the Fire Dragon crossing the river, and landing alongside Malefor. "...I can see now that she was not supposed to die, and you are meant to be here, because the ancestors have wished it."

The old hermit stares at Excelcius, then at the patch of burned land, then back to the red dragon.

"This dragon has already been influenced by your being here, and I see only a positive influence" The old hermit remark, and pats Malefor on the side of his neck. "No my friend...you are supposed to be here whether you like it or not, and if no one else forgives you, you still have made a difference in his life, that I'm sure!"

The old hermit then walks away, looking over the valley once more, and breathing in the life that is around him.

"This world needs many heroes, and they will come in all shapes and sizes..." The crazy old hermit continues, looking up to the sky and seeing the two suns of Avalar. "...I know you will shine again some day, Malefor, like the suns above..." He turns his eyes back to the purple dragon, with a confident stare. "...until then, know that there is one other that forgives you, and he is standing before your eyes."

Malefor tears up again, as the old hermit smiles, then looks back to the sky once more.

"Yes my friend...you will shine again!"

The purple dragon suddenly feels a deep sense of pride, and looks over at Excelcius, standing on his right.

"Have you forgiven me?" He asks with a stern tone, wanting a truthful answer.

Excelcius pause for a second, and Malefor's heart sinks in his chest, but only until the young dragon speaks.

"I don't think you were to blame for what happened!" The Fire Guardian remarks, then walks in front of the large dragon to look him dead in the eye. "And that crazy old hermit is right..."

"I heard that!" the old voice cries out, and Excelcius laughs.

He pauses again for a second to compose himself before become stern with his words

"You will shine again, and I do forgive you!"

Malefor smiles at his new pupil, and suddenly a single thought goes through his head.

"_Maybe I can do this!"_ He says to himself, feeling an overwhelming amount of confidence, but more so by a raspy voice he has never heard before.

"I agree!" This odd voice echoes from inside the cave, and Malefor is surprised to see Monsoon standing behind him.

"You can talk!?" Both Malefor and Excelcius bark in unison, and the normally mute dragon just nods his head yes.

"Only when I use all of the magic inside my body, can I speak..." His gruff voice replies, then he looks back into the cave, and sarcasm fills his voice as he continues. "...and I needed it all, to put that inferno out!"

"You agree!" Malefor remarks with a questioning tone, snapping the water dragon's attention back to the stunned former Dark Master. "You agree with what?"

"Damn...you heard that!" The blue dragon remarks, then strolls out of the cave, and stands beside the slightly larger Malefor. "Oh...sometimes I just say things I don't mean, it's a terrible habit...I'm sorry!"

The purple dragon gives him a strange look, seeing a very smug grin on his face, and hearing the dry sense of humor from an old friend's influence.

"You have spent a little too much time with Diamond...huh!"

Monsoon laughs, and places his right paw on Malefor's shoulder, he looks eye to eye with a dragon only a few inches taller.

"I learned from the best..." He says with a smile, then suddenly drives a very well placed punch, with his left paw, into Malefor's stomach.

The large purple dragon doubles over in pain, and Monsoon again begins to laugh, looking down at Malefor trying to catch his breath.

"...but that...I taught myself!"

Malefor coughs to draw oxygen for a few moments, but does not retaliate at all. He realizes that if Monsoon was really trying to kill him, a very justified punch would have been followed by many more.

"I like Diamond's sense of humor better." Malefor remarks, then feels his body yanked up by a firm grip on his right shoulder and arm.

"I will warn you the next time I feel it necessary to hit you!" Monsoon remarks with his smug grin, then takes a deep breath. "However I no longer see a reason to do so right now."

Malefor takes a deep breath himself, but suddenly feels his entire body lifted off the ground. With his great strength, the blue dragon holds him up with one arm.

"But if you ever make me look stupid in front of my Master like that again...I will hit you HARDER!"

Malefor is stunned as Monsoon drops him to the ground, then turns his attention towards the waterfall to the west.

"Now, we must warn the Great Elder and Spyro of this evil army that attacked us, but first I saw some magic crystals over by that waterfall. I need to recharge, as I am sure you two will need to do as well." Monsoon remarks, opening his wings to fly, however he stops suddenly, and folds them back to his side.

The water dragon turns to Malefor, and shows him a very serious stare.

"Before my voice is silenced again, I just wanted you to know, that I have no problem with you calling me a friend..." Monsoon remarks, then looks down with a painful memory of his family, and a tear falls from his eye.

"...However, I was wrong when I thought I could forgive you for what you did, that will take time..." The blue dragon continues, then opens his wings and thrusts himself into the air. He looks back down at the depressed dragon, seeing the reaction to his words, but also seeing Malefor's understanding of his feelings.

"...but I am willing to give you that time...friend."

The purple dragon looks up to see a slight smile on Monsoon's face, and watches him fly off toward a large cluster of ancestral crystals.

"I hope it doesn't take long!" He says to himself, then rubs his chest with the remnants of pain. Malefor looks down a Excelcius, showing a slight grin of his own. "Especially if that was not his hardest punch!"

"Shall we join him, Malefor." The fire dragon remarks, opening his wings wide to follow, and the purple dragon opens his wings as well.

"What about me!" The old hermit cries out from behind, and both dragons turn their attention to him. The old warrior, has his sword drawn before him, and a resolved look in his eyes. "If you are going to be helping Cynder, then I insist that I come along!"

"NO!" The fire dragon barks, then lifts off the ground, flying off to the west. "I don't want you to get hurt, old-timer!"

However, Malefor strides over to the one time fierce cheetah warrior, seeing a burning desire in his eyes.

"Do you feel up to this?" The purple dragon asks, and the cheetah is fast to respond.

"I could walk through fire!"

"Then get on my back, and hang on tight!" Malefor replies just as fast, and the old hermit smiles.

He swipes his sword several times in the air before sheathing the blade in his last move, then leaps into the air with his invigorated legs. He straddles Malefor's neck, grasping a dorsal fin tightly, and slams his heels into the purple dragon's flanks.

"LETS GO!" He shouts with enthusiasm, but Malefor doesn't move an inch, instead he cranes his head around to give the old cheetah a deadly stare.

"Don't do that again!" He says with anger in his voice, and the old hermit suddenly cringes upon the large dragon's back with embarrassment.

"Sorry!"

Malefor turns his head away, then smiles to himself, feeling a weird bond with the old cheetah. Understanding that he is coming to redeem his past.

He lifts up off the ground and chases after Excelcius, following him over the river where Monsoon has leveled the cluster of red and green gems. After getting a fill of power, and staring at one another with a bit of uncertainty, this motley crew heads north to warn the city.

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><p><strong>The first battle is in the books, and not a good showing for the simple ape army. But that was just a fraction of Gaul's forces. <strong>

**Where-o-where will the rest show up...stay tuned to find out, and of course please review.**


	32. Dragonfly Park

**Friends of Fanfiction...I know I said I would have a fight in every chapter from here on out, however, the events from yesterday's Boston Marathon Bombing made me think twice. I rearranged some things, and changed a few aspects in light of this tragedy. Being a Jersey boy, born and raised...I have seen terror before, and it felt that fateful Fall day all over again.**

**I dedicate this chapter to the People of Boston, that showed the true hero in all of us, and I thank you...even as a Yankee Fan!**

**Even though they knew what danger they were in, everyone ran towards those, that could not help themselves. It is that fearless charge to help a stranger, that makes us believe in heroes.**

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><p>Chapter 32 Dragonfly Park<p>

On the eastern side of New Warfang, the entire population has gathered for a grand dedication. Thousands of Manweresmalls, hundreds of cheetah warriors, and every single dragon on the planet, has filled the great lawn of the new park. Everyone's attention focused upon the large monument near a temporary stage.

The air is filled with the aroma of different types of food, all smelling as wonderful as the flowers that have begun blooming in the many gardens. Streamers and balloons fill the sky with color as well, however, there is one thing this is not filling the air, and that is the sound of the people. Only a few crying babies in the crowd, break the eerie silence.

Terrador, standing upon the raised platform, walks back over to a stone podium, then looks out over the masses that have come to pay their respects. It takes a moment for the Guardian Leader to compose himself, but he takes a deep breath, and finally ends the moment of silence he asked for.

"Thank You!" The gruff voice of the Earth Guardian remarks, sounding deeper than normal, as he chokes back tears. The crowd then erupts into a frenzy, cheering the young dragonfly's name, and making as much noise as they can for him. A surprise plan, spread around the crowd by the motor-mouthed Electric Guardian, to show a loud voice for one that was silenced.

Spyro, standing on stage by his wife and son, is overcome with emotion, hearing such a loud ovation for his brother. He leans on Cynder's shoulder to cry, and Sparx nestles himself in between his mother and father, feeling them both hug him together.

The young dragon has ridden his father's emotional roller coaster all day, and it is taking as much a toll on him as it is Spyro. However, Sparx has shown him a smile every time he's needed one, even when it was impossible to force it.

"_Try to show him a smile when he is depressed!"_ His mother asked, and that is what he is doing. The young dragon looks up at Cynder and Spyro, showing them both a huge grin, and his mother places her paw upon his cheek.

"That is the smile he needs!" She says confidently, holding her husband tighter, and Spyro can see it to. The purple dragon slowly begins to smile himself.

"That is what I needed!" He replies, placing his paw on Sparx' other cheek, and holding it along with his wife. "That smile is contagious."

"My fellow Avalarians..." Terrador continues in the background, as the crowd gradually calms down. "...before we open the park...Spyro has informed me, that he will say a few words."

Cynder shows shock, and Sparx holds his father tightly, as the crowd again erupts into a frenzy.

"You are going to give a speech!" She says with surprise, and Spyro looks her in the eye.

"I don't know if I will give a speech like Sparx would..." Spyro remarks, forcing a grin across his face. "...but I have to say something...He would be disappointed with me if I didn't!"

Spyro lowers his head, and kisses his son on the bridge of his nose. He then raises back up to kiss his wife, and the crowd get a little louder.

"Thank you Cynder...Thank you Sparx!" Spyro says softly to his family. "I could not get through this without out you both!"

The purple dragon takes several deep breaths, then slowly walks towards the podium. The crowd gets louder with his every step, in anticipation of the Hero of Avalar's words, and Spyro can feel the butterflies in his stomach intensify.

As he reaches the large stone podium, the mass of dragons, cheetahs, and moles get very quiet, like another moment of silence has begun.

Spyro pauses, staring at the hushed crowd, then turns his attention to the large monument to his left. The purple dragon opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. Spyro close his eyes, and begins to cry once more.

"I'm sorry...I just... can't!" He remarks, and begins to lower himself from the platform, however he suddenly feels a push from behind, and turns to see his son.

The young dragon, with tears in his eyes, is trying to smile for his father, but this time, it is impossible. Unable to stop himself from showing Spyro his sadness, Sparx turns to walk away. However, he can feel a solid grip around his body before he gets to far. The young dragon closes his eyes, as Spyro crushes him with a heavy embrace.

"Will you stay with me, son?" He whispers in his ear, and Sparx quickly nods his head for his father.

Spyro lifts his son the air, placing him on the large podium, then laying his upper body alongside, and looking out over the mass of gathered creatures.

Never seeing a group this size before, well a least a group that wasn't trying to kill him, Sparx becomes very nervous. Spyro can see the fear in his child's eyes, as they scan over the thousands that have packed this large park.

"There are so many Dad!" He says with a note of panic, and Spyro is quick to ease his concern. He lifts up from the side of his son, and lays his body down atop to protect him, whispering in his ear.

"Do not fear them, Sparx..." His father says with a calmer voice, holding his son tightly in his arms. "...everyone is here to show their support...for our family!"

The young dragon looks out towards the crowd, and can see his father is right. Not a dry eye can be seen, and his tears begin to flow again. However, Sparx curls his head down, still feeling overwhelmed by the large sea of people.

"I'm afraid, Dad!"

"I will show you need not fear them!" Spyro whispers to his shaking child.

"This is my son, Sparx..." The purple dragon yelps at the top of his lungs, startling everyone in the entire park, as his voice booms with pride. "...and unlike his namesake...he is a bit shy!"

The young dragon looks up at his father with an angered grin, but Spyro just rubs his head with a paw, and again turn his attention to the crowd.

"I ask you, please...make my son feel like he is home!"

As soon as the words from the purple dragon's mouth cease, the crowd erupts into another loud ovation, and Sparx turns towards the commotion.

His ears can hear his name cheered, and his cheeks turn red with embarrassment. His eyes can see everyone's attention focused upon him, and all with smiles that lighten his heart. The young dragon looks back at his father, and can suddenly see by his expression, his father is feeling better.

"You will be my support today, Sparx..." The purple dragon remarks, remembering what Diamond had told him before. Spyro kisses his boy on the head, making him blush before the crowd, and whispers in his ear. "...and I can't think of a better dragon to lean on!"

Sparx shows his father that smile he needed, and Spyro quickly returns the favor. The purple dragon looks back out over the crowd, and starts his speech.

"We are here to pay respect to a great hero...Sparx, son of Flash...my brother!"

Spyro takes a deep breath, then walks along the stage towards the large monument that Terrador built himself. A large pillar of granite, engraved with his own talons, this plain stone monument was built to stand forever. A way to symbolize the little dragonfly's strength.

The purple dragon smiles slightly, then looks up toward the heavens. He can almost hear his brother's voice, and again another smile fills his face.

"What can I say about my brother, Sparx..." Spyro continues, then looks out over the crowd, showing this large smile.

"...that he has told you himself...ten times already!"

The crowd takes a second, stunned from the sudden joke, and the first one of the day about Sparx'. However, they begin to laugh seeing Spyro is trying to make light of this moment. The purple dragon can see his mother and father start to laugh as well, and feels this is the best way to honor his brother.

"He loved to talk...as I'm sure you know." He says with sarcasm "And he loved to tell you exactly where he stood on everything...even if you didn't want to hear it!"

Spyro can hear his wife chuckle, and suddenly he feels overwhelmed again. The roller coaster readying to drop down another large hill.

"I don't understand how someone so small could make that much noise..." He remarks, and the crowd again gives a solid laugh, but Spyro looks back out over the large mob, now showing a very difficult smile. "...but I can see from you all...he did!"

"I realize now...his voice did not come from his little lungs...but his massive heart!"

The purple dragon lowers to his stomach feeling his emotions will not cooperate, and once again, he begins to cry.

Cynder takes a step to rush towards her husbands' side, but Sparx is already down from podium, and running over to his father. The young dragon quickly burrows his nose under Spyro's side, trying to get under his stomach

The great hero of Avalar is stunned by the sudden force of something trying to get under him, and he turns to see what is lifting him up off the ground. Seeing his son, Spyro hoists himself higher, and Sparx quickly places his entire body under his father, lifting him all the way to his feet.

"You can lean on me all day, Dad!" Sparx cries, trying to show his smile, and for a moment, Spyro collapses again from his son's words. Cynder watches with awe, as her young child holds his father's weight, till he catches his emotions.

The crowd doesn't make a sound, becoming eerily quiet again. They have quickly fallen in love with this young dragon, watching him help his father deal with such a great pain.

The purple dragon takes a minute to compose himself, then stands on his own two feet. Spyro lifts his son in the air with his front paws and embraces him tightly. He looks over at Cynder, and can see the wide smile on her face, and suddenly Spyro begins to relax.

The purple dragon prepares to begin his speech again, holding his son to his chest, and looking over the crowd. However, before he even starts, he has to pause, and this time not for his own emotion, but for the crowd's. The entire park rumbles with the sound of applause, for the little dragon that lifted their Hero to his feet. For over five minutes, the entire population of the city continues to cheer, and Spyro waits patiently for it to stop, knowing it is not for him.

The Great Hero of Avalar, then moves on with his speech, with Sparx held tightly in his arms. He rides the harsh roller coaster of emotion, but this time with a passenger to help keep him in his seat.

Spyro rocks the crowd with jokes, and tells unbelievable stories about the little dragonfly that did so much in his life, feeling better as each memory is released. For nearly half an hour, the purple dragon entertains the crowd, until suddenly he realizes how much time has gone by.

"Wow...I think it's time I wrap this up!" Spyro remarks, looking up at the sun, and seeing its position in the sky. "I guess some of my brother did rub off on me!"

The crowd again laughs, but Spyro cuts them off with a raised paw and a smile, finishing his speech the way he wanted to.

"It was only fair, because it looks like a lot of my influence, rubbed off on him!" Spyro says, looking at the monument, then back out towards the crowd.

"...and he has shown us all, that anyone can be a hero!"

The crowd erupts once more, and cheers the purple dragon for sharing so much, however, Spyro does not acknowledge them. Instead he just holds Sparx tighter in his arms, thanking him for such support.

"I never would have been able to get through this without you." He says softly in Sparx' ear, and the young dragon quivers with a chill down his back. "You are my hero!"

"No...I am your son, and I...would have died twice without you!" He remarks while holding his father just as tight, listening to his solid heartbeat. "...but you are not my hero..."

The young dragon then turns his head, and stares at the frenzied mob, screaming and cheering for the purple dragon.

"...you are everyone's hero..." He continues, as Cynder strolls alongside her family, and Sparx shows his mother what she asked of him, then looks at his father with the same smile.

"...but I am the lucky one that gets to call you Dad!"

Cynder's heart melts as Spyro nearly collapses again with emotion, squeezing his smiling child for all he is worth. However, she once more is frightened by something she has never experienced. A sudden glow begins to emanate from her son and husband, and Cynder takes a step back.

"_Easy girl!"_ A voice rings in her head, feeling a paw brush against her left side.

Cynder turns her head to see Diamond standing beside her.

"_I don't think our conversation can wait any longer..."_ The white dragon remarks, reading her mind, and then turns his attention to her family. _"...I want you and you husband to meet me in the palace as soon as possi..."_

"MOM!" Sparx voice booms, cutting off Diamond's thought. "Can we go explore the park now?"

The young dragoness is startled, and is about to answer her son in the negative, however Diamond sends her another thought.

"_Yes, Cynder...let them go!"_ He says. _"But you tell them you need to stay behind, it is better if I speak with you alone!"_

The dark dragoness pauses, before nodding her head yes to Sparx, and Spyro can see something is wrong.

"What's the matter, Cynder!" He asks seeing the same look of shock on her face from before. "Did you hear something again?"

"NO!" She remarks, with more shock seeing a dark swirl of energy begin to combine with her husband's aura. "I don't know what is wrong..."

Cynder looks down at her son, and watches the same swirl of darkness cloud his bright spirit, and suddenly she understands.

Cynder can see the worry in her family's eyes, and can see the energy inside is fluctuating with emotion. The young mother lowers her paw down, and lifts Sparx' chin to look him in the eyes.

"...but I'm not afraid of it anymore...because I don't think anything is wrong!" She remarks, looking deep into her child's soul, and seeing it brighten with her last statement.

"I can see things more clearly, and I want to understand this power more!" Cynder turns her head towards her husband, and smiles. "Go show our son where his father grew up, and I will be back before you miss me!"

"I doubt that!" Spyro remarks, hugging his wife tightly, and staring at Diamond with a concerned husband's eyes. Though the white dragon is not touching Spyro, to hear his thoughts, he can understand his stare well enough.

"Are you sure..." The purple dragon whispers in her ear "...I would rather stay behind with you!"

"_I will be fine!"_ Her voice sings throughout his soul, and Spyro can feel his wife's aura combine with his again.

_"But I want to find this out for myself, like my husband did, when he fought to save me, so long ago!"_

The purple dragon takes a deep breath, and answers his wife with just a kiss to her neck, and a very soft

"I love you!"

The purple dragon turns to his son, and wraps his arms around him tightly

"I will be with my family..." Spyro continues, lifting his boy, and turning back to look at his wife. "...but remember...I will not have my whole family with me...until you get back!"

Spyro opens his wings, flying down towards his large family of dragonflies, and Cynder watches as the amount of energy coming from her husband and son increases.

"What is going on, Dimaond?" She says, now showing the slight concern she would not show Spyro. "Why am I SEEING my husband's energy?"

"Because, it is the power that a Spirit Dragon possesses..." The white dragon replies sternly, and Cynder turns to look at him with shock. "...and a power that is finally finding its way in the darkness!"

Diamond places his paw against Cynder's cheek, and stares into her eyes.

"_Now let me help you clear up all of that darkness...forever!"_

Landing before his large family of tiny dragonflies, the purple dragon smiles seeing the joyous expressions on his parent's face. However, Spyro watches with a heavy heart, as his wife flies away with Diamond in her arms, heading towards the palace in the center of the city.

Suddenly, a deeper feeling of fear strikes his heart. Spyro experienced so many changes when discovering his powers, and becomes worried, knowing Cynder may come back, a different dragon.

"Please, don't change too much!" He quips, and Sparx can hear his father's concern.

"What is it Dad?" The youngster asks, and Spyro looks down at his son.

"Oh...it's nothing, Sparx. I'm thinking out loud!" He replies with no confidence in his words, then hunches his shoulders while watching Cynder disappear behind the tall towers of the palace. "I just hope your mother knows what she doing."

"Mom knows what she's doing..." The young dragon replies confidently, staring up to his father and showing him his stern expression. "...she always did, Dad!"

The young dragon himself looks down, studying memories in his head, then quickly returning his sharp eyes to his father.

"I just think this time...Mom wants to do something alone..." He says with a more uneasy tone in his voice, looking back up at his father with sadness in his eyes. "...she has always had you or Malefor to rely upon, and sometimes I can see that bothers her."

Spyro lowers his brow, and shows his son a very puzzled expression, so Sparx wastes no time in explaining himself.

"Mom has a very big spirit, and doesn't want anyone to help her..." The young dragon continues, remembering his rough childhood, and a mother that would fight for food with only one wing. "...Even when she couldn't do it on her own!"

Sparx takes a deep breath, seeing the past play out in his mind, then suddenly smiles as he realizes he and his father are the same way.

"I would have thought YOU, of all dragons, would understand that!"

Spyro is rocked by his son's bluntness, then shows him a very puzzled expression.

"Are you sure you're only eight years old!" The young father remarks, then slowly smiles at his son. He wraps his wing around Sparx, pulling him closer to his side, and both dragons are enveloped by Spyro's adoptive family.

* * *

><p><strong>There are heroes all around us, but none are wearing capes and masks. They do what ever they can, for those in desperate need. At the moment of truth, they run towards danger.<strong>

**Do you run to help...****Or do you run for cover?**

**There is no right answer...e****xcept; live everyday as best you can, and pray that you are never asked this question.**

**God bless those that have lost their lives, and God help this world of heroes, wanting noting more than to leave their capes at home. **


	33. Three Little Dragons

Chapter 33 Three Little Dragons

On the top of a now dormant Well of Souls, the Dark Master's large Ape General, glares down with his ruby-red eye upon a massive army. Filled with every last bit of power the volcano of evil could give, Gaul now looks upon ten times the amount of soldiers he had before.

"Do you think you can handle the job with that army, Gaul..." The Dark Master's voice breaks the Ape's concentration, and he quickly jumps as his master lands beside him. "...or are you going to fail me again?"

Gaul lowers his head, then looks back out over the millions of evil creatures.

"I cannot fail with this army, Master!" The ape General barks with a confident voice, not showing any disdain to the Dark Master's taunt. "I swear I will have my revenge on Spyro!"

"Good!" The brown and black dragon remarks, looking at his General with an angered stare. "Because if you fail me again...it will not be Spyro that shatters you into pieces again...DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!"

Gual says nothing, he just raises his head up and down with a stern acknowledgment.

"Very Well, Gual..." Dark Tycor quips, turning around to look into the reflecting pool at the peak of the mountain. "...Spyro and his son are in the Mushroom village he grew up in...find them and bring them both to me."

"Yes, Master!" The Ape replies, then turns to leave and lead his army.

"And Gual...Before you go...I have a new standing order for all other dragons you encounter." The Dark Master remarks, stopping the large ape in his path.

The Dark General smiles, hearing these words, and knowing there can be only one change in this standing order.

"What are your new orders, Master?" Gual replies with a smug smile.

"KILL THEM ALL!"

* * *

><p>In the vast open area of the new park, a party for the ages continues without end in sight. The laughter and joy are filling the air with non stop noise, and only one dragon seems slightly bothered.<p>

"Well I had planed on giving Spyro and his wife the keys to the city of New Warfang, but he never shut up...it was like watching you give a speech." Cyril remarks to his best friend Volteer, looking over the crowd from the elevated platform. "Then...of all the nerve...he just leaves with his family. My schedule is completely ruined!"

The yellow and blue dragon, gives a slight chuckle, and turns his head towards his brother in arms.

"Ahh my good friend, let me say just this once, without you getting upset..." The yellow dragon remarks, staring into the sky, then walking over to the Ice Guardian's side. "...you are the most pompous, arrogant, self-centered, egotistical wind-bag I have ever meet!"

Volteer sits down next to his blue compatriot, and grabs his arm before he walks away angrily.

"But...I love you like a brother, Cyril."

"I would be devastated if anything were to happen to you." Volteer continues, and the blue dragon holds his retreat, sitting back down to hear his friend talk. He can tell the tone in Volteer's voice is very serious, and is compelled to listen.

"I would do exactly what Spyro did here today. It was almost like Sparx was talking through him." The large yellow dragon says with a deepened voice, and Cyril lowers his head from a sudden feeling of guilt, but the Electric Guardian removes his tight grip from the blue dragon's arm, and lifts his friend's chin.

"I felt like he honored his brother uniquely, superbly, stupendously...PERFECTLY!"

Cyril shows a smile, understanding his friend, and realizing Spyro did make him feel like the little dragonfly was here.

"You would honor me with a speech, like Spyro's?" Cyril asks sheepishly, showing a bright red contrast in his normally blue face.

"Of course, I would" Volteer replies, and watches as his boorish friend smiles with surprise. The yellow dragon looks back out over the crowd, and continues with a great deal of sarcasm.

"The only problem is...I don't know if I could be so pompous, or snobbish, self-center, or narcissistic, completely ego driven, and absolutely arroga.."

"Well Thank You...Friend!" Cyril cuts in, and Volteer quickly laughs from the blue dragon's sudden response to the onslaught of his character.

"I'm kidding...Cyril!" The yellow dragon remarks, placing his arm around the Ice Guardian, and pulling him against his side. The blue dragon becomes a bit uncomfortable, being held so close by Volteer, however, he relaxes his muscles hearing the next statement from his best friend.

"I would make Spyro's speech seem short in comparison, and there would not be a dry eye in the crowd!"

Volteer releases his grip on Cyril, then strolls over to the edge of the platform. The yellow Guardian has a vast amount of emotion running through him now, and does not want to show it. He quickly sees a spot to be alone, and opens his wings to fly.

Cyril can see his best friend is distraught, and allows him to leave, however before he can take flight.

"VOLTEER!" A voice barks from the side of the platform, and both Guardians are startled to see a familiar dragon.

"Nick!" The electric dragon replies, folding his wings to his side, waiting for the greenish-blue dragon to approach. He can see the nervousness in his eyes, and becomes concerned very quick.

This water dragon's family were very special guests at the ceremony, though Nick did not want to be here, and his reasons are confirmed as he is booed by the crowd.

They also know who this dragon is, and some have even been treating him like Sparx' death was his fault. However, he was begged by the guardians to attend, along with his wife and three young children. Three whelplings that were spared from a deadly flood, nearly a year ago, by a heroic act.

The Guardian's stomachs fill with guilt, hearing the jeers from the crowd, but horror consumes their souls, as the terrified father blurts out the reason for his panic.

"My kids are gone!" Nick barks, still running across the stage, and several gasps can be heard from the crowd up front. The green and blue dragon stops short, looking down at the jaded group that has hounded him all day, and collapses in a heap.

"I hope you're all happy now..." The horrified father cries out to several dragons staring at him. "...you didn't want me or my wife here...and we get the point...so just give us back our family, and we will leave this city...forever."

Hearing that statement, many dragons are overcome by the possible thought of their kidnapping, and load the stage to comfort the distraught father. One in particular is first to his side, and Nick looks up to this dark warrior with surprise. He can remember the cold stare he received from this same creature only a few minutes ago, but now all he can see is a deep sincerity in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry for what I said before." This very thin but powerful black dragon remarks, placing his hand upon Nick's shoulder. "I promise you...We will find them!"

"Why... why would you help me?" The now angered father asks with surprise, as this dark dragon lifts him back to his feet. "You said I didn't deserve to have kids if I couldn't keep them safe...and now you've proved that!"

"Because...I was stupidl..." The black dragon says lowering his head. "...this was never your fault, nor your wife's, and your children do not deserve to be made pawns for you to suffer."

Nick is rocked to his core, as the group that hounded him all day, suddenly back up the word of the black and gray dragon.

"Whoever did this to you..." He continues, looking at his friends with anger in his eyes, then shows that same stern stare to the worried father. "...we will make them pay for such an act of cruelty!"

The slender black dragon then stands on his hind legs, dwarfing everyone on the stage with his height and sheer presence.

"YOU HEARD ME!" He yells, straightening everyone to attention. "What are guys standing around for...find those kids...NOW!"

The group of several dragons take off from the stage in every direction, and their dark leader turns back to the surprised father.

"Are you coming..." He remarks, this time with a bit of anger in his voice. "...or are you just going to leave you kid's fate...to another hero!"

Nick takes his feet quickly, and gets muzzle to muzzle with the dark dragon. He heard a taunt similar to that before, and this time the angry dragon will not let him talk poorly about his parenting skills any longer.

"I LOVE MY KIDS..." He barks in his face, showing a deep rage that the green and blue dragon did not show before. However, Nick pauses for a second, looks at the stone pillar to his left, then lowers his head.

"...I was not in the city when that storm came. My wife and I were helping to rebuild Dragoon Bay, or it would be my name on that monument..."

Nick straightens himself up, then stares deep into green eyes of this shadowy creature. "...and don't you EVER forget that!"

The black dragon pauses himself, for a moment, then smugly smiles in Nick's face

"That's all I wanted to hear...now lets go find your children." He replies with a smile, then opens his dark gray wings.

"I'm sure they are just playing in this large park, and are in no danger." The black dragon remarks hoping to put the restless father at ease, but can see it is no use to settle Nick's nerves.

"But I'll swear this to you right now..." He pauses again, then looks over at the two guardians. "...If that is not the case, I will make sure who ever took your children, will never take anything again...EVER!"

The dark dragon takes off from the stage, and Nick looks over to the guardians himself.

"Who is that?"

Cyril and Volteer both show some surprise in their expression, because both understand this dragon very well.

"If there was ever to be a Shadow Guardian, Blanca would be that dragon!" Cyril remarks to the young father, and Nick looks up at the black dragon flying away with shock.

"That's Blanca...the leader of the Shadow Clan..." He says with surprise, then looks back a the two guardians in fear.

"...And you just let me yell in his face like that!"

Volteer laughs, unsettling the greenish-blue dragon a little more, but the Electric Guardian knows much about the Shadow Leader. Though he is the head of an infamous gang, this group has never been one to just attack the innocent.

The Shadow Clan Warriors are respected, but still feared, and Volteer knows Blanca personally. He knows it is the love and safety for his own children, that drives this dark dragon.

"Trust me Nick...He is perfect for this..." The yellow and blue guardian says, walking over to the young father. "...He will find your kids wherever they are...I promise!"

The water dragon gulps his saliva, still with a sense of panic, and more so as the Shadow Clan Leader yells at him from the sky.

"Sometime today would be nice!"

Nick can hear the anger in his voice, and sees the frustration in his eyes. Without another delay, the green dragon takes off to the sky, giving the guardians a very fear-filled last glance.

Volteer turns his head towards his best friend and shows a slight grin.

"I think maybe we should go with them, Cyril." He remarks, returning his eyes to the sky, and watching Blanca grab the green dragon by the shoulders to yell at him again.

"I would like those kids to see their father again...in one piece!"

The large Ice dragon grunts with annoyance, and Volteer rolls his eyes, but when Cyril pulls his clipboard out to see what is next on the agenda, the Electric Guardian finally snaps.

"Spyro and Cynder are gone!" He barks, then walks over to his friend, yanking the schedule from Cyril's paws, and taring it up in front of his face.

"Now that your schedule is complete..." The yellow dragon remarks with a note of anger in his voice, watching the two dragons begin to leave the area. "...I think it's time you did what you were born to do...AND BE A DAMN GUARDIAN!"

Cyril is shocked at this outburst, hearing not only Volteer raise his voice at him, but also keeping a smooth flow of words that was not overrun with adjectives.

"I'm sorry, Volteer..." The Ice Dragon replies, shaking his head in disbelief at his own pompousness. "...I wasn't thinking!"

"Well you better start!" The Electric dragon remarks, opening his wing, and preparing to take flight. However, before he leaps into the sky, Volteer looks over at his startled friend, and shows him a smile.

"Because...If I have to do the thinking around here...then we are completely, totally, absolutely, positively, one hundred percent...screwed!"

* * *

><p>On a winding path in a dense forest, Somewhere deep in Dragonfly park, a small search party begins to become frustrated.<p>

"Where are they!" A young girl's voice yells, becoming more annoyed with this ongoing search. "I saw them go this way...I know I did!"

"Catarina..." A softer voice remarks. "...we should go back...I'm sure mom and dad are looking for us by now!"

"NO!" Catarina yells, turning back to her younger sister. "We have to find Spyro...this way Daddy can apologize..."

The young whelplings both pause, knowing how hard their father has taken the death of the Hero of Avalar's brother, truly believing it was his fault. They are hoping a face to face meeting with the purple dragon could help fix their father's emotions, and tried to speak with him before he left. However, they became disappointed watching the young hero fly away with his son and his dragonfly family.

The two girls quickly hatched a plan with their younger brother to follow and find the hidden mushroom village of Spyro's childhood home. But of course, they never said anything to their parents.

"...we have to find him Gianna!" Catarina says, quietly wrapping her lavender-white wings around her sister. "We just have to."

Suddenly, a two-toned blue whelpling pops out from a patch of woods behind the young girls, and runs with excitement to their position.

He stops, seeing only his older sister. A blue dragoness with vibrant green markings, and long wings that fade from the color of her body, through a rainbow of light purple to their pure white edges.

However, what he can see the most is that his sister is crying.

"Are you OK!" His voice remarks with sudden sadness, quickly becoming worried himself hearing Catarina crying, and wondering where his other sister is. "Where's Gianna?"

"I'm right here, Nicholas!" Her voice calls out to calm her brother. She heard the tone of his voice, and didn't want him to panic. Catarina opens her wings, revealing his red and orange-colored sister, and the fire dragon gives her brother a smile

A deep breath is taken by the smallest whelpling of the bunch, seeing both of his sisters, and with a child like rebound in emotion, the youngster becomes excited again to tell his sisters what he saw.

"I found it!" His says, running toward them again. The two-toned blue dragon's strides are slightly stumbled, being so young, but he never falls getting to his sisters as fast as he can to give them the news.

However, Gianna and Catarina give him a very doubt filled stare.

"Come on Nicholas!" They say in unison to their brother.

"You said that five times already!" Catarina barks, and the one that hatched this plan with her kin, looking at her younger brother with some anger. "If we didn't stop every time you said so...we would have found him by now!"

The young dragon's shoulders hunch with depression, and tears fill his eyes. He was so happy to be included with his sisters' plans for the first time, and only wanted to do his best. However, hearing his older sister yelling at him, the young two-toned blue dragon becomes upset again.

Catarina and Gianna feel horrible the second his eyes fill with moisture, and they quickly pull him into their embrace to cheer him up.

"I'm sorry, Nick..." Catarina says, using a soft voice that show her brother she did something wrong. "...I didn't mean that...I'm just getting tired, and I'm afraid that Daddy is gonna be very mad at us, so we can't fool around anymore"

The small blue dragon looks up at his sister, with sadness in his eyes, and tries talking through his emotions.

"But I really...found it this time..." He says, and Catarina's brow drops with doubt, so he turns his head to his sister closer to his age, and shows her the same look. "...honest Gianna...I really did!"

The red and orange dragoness, much like her mother, is very receptive, and the reason they have checked all five of her brother's sightings. However, this time she shows some doubt in her eyes too, and Nicholas just lowers his head.

"Catarina's right...we can't waste more time." The younger sister remarks, placing her paw upon her brother's head. "So just tell us why you think it's the right place this time?"

"Because there is a fifty-foot mushroom in that village!" The young dragon says, then looks up at his sisters, showings them a sudden smugness.

Both sisters eyes pop open, and the smug smile gets even wider on Nicholas' face.

"Where is it!" Catarina remarks, placing her paw on the smaller blue dragon's head, and rubbing it gently.

Proudly leading his older sisters, the young whelpling runs back to the spot he came from, and forces himself into the dense brush.

"Are you serious!" Gianna remarks, seeing how much trouble her brother is having to burrow a path that is not there, and Catarina is just as hesitant as she practically finishes her sister thought.

"I'm not going through a bush!"

Nicholas stops, and looks back his sisters with concern in his eyes.

"But this is the way, it's only a few feet thick, and then there is a path...I swear!"

Catarina grasps her brother's tail, and yanks him from the thick foliage wall, and Nicholas begin to become upset again.

"Stop!" He yelps "I mean it...there is really a path!"

The larger blue dragon, places her paw on Nicholas' mouth keeping him from yelling, and looking at him with a smile.

"Take it easy you whelpling..." She says, and the young dragon shows his sister a very angry set of eyes. However he stops flailing around when he hears her next words.

"...let us...dragons...show you the easy way through a bush."

"Come on Gianna, we'll show a tiny whelpling what they teach in a real dragon's school." Catarina remarks, and the small red and orange dragoness, very quiet and shy her power, just raises and lowers her head.

Nick's eyes light up as a small flame burns from Gianna's mouth, igniting the large shrub blocking the path. Catarina quickly smothers the flames with a coating of Ice, and both dragons smash the frozen and weakened branches with their tails. Only a small section of the block is cleared, so the red and orange dragoness lights up the bush again.

Several times the young girls burn and clear, becoming more frustrated seeing nothing. However, with one last angry burn from Gianna, and a good-sized amount of ice power displayed by the older Catarina, the unused path their brother had told them about, is finally uncovered.

"I told you!" He remarks with a triumphant bark, as his sister's eyes open wide with more surprise. "It's right there!"

Nicholas snobbishly bumps past his sisters, running down the path he has been on before.

"You should follow me from here on out...just so you don't get lost!"

Both dragon's rolls their eyes, but suddenly they look at each other with a smile. They are going to find Spyro, and be able to fix their family.

Gianna and Catarina become as jovial as their brother, running after him as fast as they can. They follow as instructed, watching their brother intently as his steps become more and more anxious. As they enter into a steep canyon, the youngest whelpling knows he's getting closer, and suddenly trips over his front paws, falling flat on his muzzle.

His sisters are quick to his side to help him up, brush him off, then laugh in his face.

"Easy Nicholas!" Catarina remarks with laughter as she helps her brother back to his feet. "I'm sure the village is not going anywhere."

Nicholas looks up at his older sister, and shows her a very approving smile. However, when he turns to his other sister, he is surprised to see a serious look upon her face.

"What is Gianna?" The smallest of the three whelplings asks, and the red dragon's eyes focus back upon her brother.

"Look... Look behind you!" She says, and Both Nicholas and Catarina are startled by their sister's sudden reaction to something, turning their heads swiftly in the direction that Gianna is staring.

The younger dragon remains confused for a moment, but Catarina sees it immediately, and her eyes open wide with delight.

"WE ARE HERE!" She barks, running over towards a large stone statue, that caught Gianna's attention.

The Blue & Green colored dragoness, becomes even more excited as she approaches the granite likeness of the former Fire Guardian, and seeing the same view she and Gianna have seen a thousand times before in school. A large mushroom village, sitting down in a lowered valley, with the Guardian of Fire protecting the entrance.

The two sisters have seen this exact view before, in a portrait at their school, and stare in awe, being in the same position that the portrait was drawn from. Gianna stands beside her sister, removing a photo from a small satchel around her waist, and holds it up in the air for them both to look at.

A picture they walk by every day, and remember the one that saved them.

Displayed for all that enter Spyro Elementary School, this portrait shows a slightly younger purple hero, standing by a statue of the Fire Guardian, with his then girlfriend Cynder. However, unlike the other children, it is the little yellow dragonfly in the picture that they admire the most.

"We did it! That's Sparx' home!" Catarina remarks with sudden shock focusing on the massive sized mushroom that sits in the rear of the village. She looks down at her little brother as he walks over to her sister with a timid stride. "You really did it, Nicholas! I'm sorry I doubted you."

The older sister, twice the size of her similar colored brother, grabs Nicholas in her arms and lifts him off the ground in a tight embrace. Catarina then wraps her wing around Gianna, and pulls her closer to her side.

"I knew we could do this if we worked together." The older dragon remarks, beginning to weep with emotion and excitement. "I cannot tell you how proud I am to be your sister, and that I love you both."

Catarina's siblings hold her tighter, and she can feel a deeper emotion inside her heart, and an enormous smile fills her features.

"But I want you two to know one thing..." She whispers, and holds them just a little longer. Then suddenly Catarina releases her grip, and jumps into the air, looking down at her smaller brother and sister with smugness.

"...I'm gonna beat you guys to the village now...and I'm gonna win the bet!"

"NO FAIR!" Gianna remarks, knowing she can't keep up with her bigger sister's speed, and realizing she will have to do her chores for the next week.

Nicholas stomps his feet, and gives her a deep anger-filled look.

"BUT I WAS HERE ALREADY!"

"Did you go into the village?" The older sister asks sarcastically, and Nicholas just lowers his head.

Catarina shrugs her shoulders and chuckles, turning towards Spyro's home, and slowly flies away.

"Then I guess you didn't win...did you!"

Gianna looks at her little brother with disgust, and they both get angry with their sister for thinking of the bet before them.

"I don't want to do her chores again!" Nicholas remarks with sadness, looking up at the sister that has tricked him into doing her chore dozens of times.

"YOU STINK, CATARINA!"

Suddenly, and without warning, a hairy ape-like creature, twice Catarina's size, hits her from the side. The young dragoness, squeals from the shock, but more so as her small frame is taken from the sky and slammed down to the ground hard.

Gianna and Nicholas jump seeing their sister, attacked so viciously, and though they were mad at her, both are suddenly consumed with fear for her life.

"NOOO!" Gianna screams, blasting just a small stream of fire from her muzzle, knowing she could hit her sister. It has little to no effect upon her attacker, as the large ape just pats the flames out on his body, and stares at the two other whelplings with anger.

"When I'm done with her..." His raspy voice barks, as he places his foot on Catarina's back. The large creature reaches down to his waist, unsheathing his dagger, then raises it up in the air. "...you two are next!"

Both dragons are frozen with fear, however, seeing their sister about to be slain, the youngsters suddenly snap.

"LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!" Nicholas yells, and an incredible gust of wind then slams the large creature, lifting him up off Catarina.

Gianna, startled by Nicholas' sudden show of his first elemental attack, doesn't hesitate long after seeing the ape blown from Catarina's back. The young dragoness raises the temperature of her breath, as her sister crawls away, and unleashes a feral blast of fire. This time she torches the ape-like warrior, sending him running for water, and both Nicholas and Gianna are able to run to their sister's aid.

"Are you OK?" They both ask Catarina, seeing the scrapes on her side from hitting the ground, and hearing the young dragoness moaning in pain.

The young blue dragon can see the terrified look on her brother and sister's faces, and though she is in great pain, Catarina lies to keep them calm.

"YES...I'm Fine" She says with a wince in her voice, standing up on her feet. "What was that thing?"

"I don't know!" Gianna replies, breathing heavily from fear, and an over use of her power. "I just hope there are no more..."

Suddenly, Nicholas gasps, and grabs his sisters.

"LOOK!" He yells with fear, staring into the forest behind them, and both girls turn to see what has spooked their brother.

"By the ancestors!" Catarina cries, seeing hundreds of the same creatures approaching, all with their blades drawn.

She looks down at her brother and sister, and knows they have no chance of escape.

"I did it again..." She whispers

Catarina feels the harsh reality, hugs her brother and sister tightly, then closes her eyes. This is second time she has led them into life-threatening danger, and the young dragoness cannot help but be overcome with guilt for her actions.

_"...I'm so sorry, Sparx...I wasted our second chance!"_

Knowing it will do nothing, Catarina still draws every bit of energy she can muster, then turns her head towards the approaching horde. Launching the most powerful ice attack she has ever released, the young blue and green dragoness shows her last act of defiance, by firing an ice bomb at them. She then holds her brother and sister tighter, waiting for the inevitable.

Suddenly Catarina feels a heavy rumble of power, and the sensation of an enormous drop in the temperature around them, much colder than she was expecting. She opens her eyes as nothing happens, and they fill with surprise seeing the charging ape army frozen solid before her.

Nicholas and Gianna pull down their sister's wing to look, and are just as shocked seeing a forest of frozen apes standing inches from them. Gianna looks up at Catarina and can see her sister is just as dumbfounded.

"WOW CATARINA!" Nicholas barks, hugging his sister tightly, truly believing she saved his life.

"WOW is right!" Another voice barks as well, startling all three whelplings to look up. Their eyes fill with wonder seeing the Hero of Avalar hovering above them, with a frosty mist of power still billowing from his muzzle.

"That was a very impressive ice attack!" Spyro continues, as he lands before the three whelplings, lowering his head down to Catarina, and chilling her with his still cold breath.

"I doubt I can do better than that!"


	34. Quick to Draw Blood

**Time to get this battle under way**

* * *

><p>Chapter 34 Quick to Draw Blood<p>

"General...a dragon approaches!" A gruff voice remarks in the dark shadows, and the ruby-red eye of his master lights up his face. Three scars mar the left eye and cheek of this high-leveled ape warrior, scars left behind by Cynder, when she ended his life years ago.

"Is it Spyro?" Gaul replies, with anger in being disturbed, and the ape warrior looks down, knowing his answer will only enrage him further.

"No, Master Gaul...it is not..." He says, then pauses as the large gorilla general growls with pure rage. He quickly continues with why he has disturbed him. "...but this dragon is searching for something, and will undoubtedly discover our hidden forces."

The large ape stops his grunting, and looks towards the opening in the trees. He can see a red and black dragon, slowly weaving through the air, never taking his eyes from the ground.

"I wonder what he is looking for?" Gaul asks a loud, then turns his attention to his second in command. "No matter...Tycor wants all the dragons dead, so bring him down!"

"Yes sir!" The scarred warrior replies, and turns his attention to the tree top above. His eyes lock upon the many apes, perched on the branches, awaiting their orders.

With a simple gesture of his finger towards the approaching threat, a dozen arrows are fired from the camouflaged canopy of the forest, all striking the red dragon in the chest. With barely a sound, one of the Shadow Clan members sent to look for three lost children, is dropped from the sky.

* * *

><p>Lying in a daze at the entrance of Spyro's childhood home, deep inside Dragonfly Park, Catarina is still frozen with shock. She was so terrified by the attack against her, that she barely noticed the two purple dragons that rescued her family. Instead, struggling with a slew of deep emotions, emotions that rose to the surface from her past, filling her mind with memories she has tried hard to suppress.<p>

The ape that hit her was a stark reminder of a powerful wave of water that slammed her unsuspectingly, when she almost lost her family the first time. Catarina was caught in a flood with the two young whelplings, her parents left her to watch, one fateful day. When a storm, the likes of which New Warfang had never seen before, swept through.

_With parts of the city still under construction, a temporary dam to the new reservoir collapsed, sending a torrent of water through the streets. Catarina had made the simple mistake of venturing from her home at the wrong time, and was caught in the surge with her brother and sister._

_Nicholas was ripped from her arms, as the streets were turned to strong flowing rivers, and she watched with more horror, as her sister Gianna instinctively grabbed his paw. She too was dragged down the street with him. _

_The little blue and green dragoness ran as fast as she could, hearing the fear-filled screams of her brother and sister. However, she was unable to keep up with the speed of the water, and couldn't prevent them from being pulled into a large whirlpool. _

_A storm drain, overwhelmed with the surge, had lost its protective grating, and both small whelplings were no match for the force of water that sucked them in. Like a black hole, this deadly whirlpool began pulling in everything, and the drain was soon plugged with mud and debris. _

_Catarina, hovering above, could see Nicholas and Gianna were not strong enough to pull themselves against the inflow of water, and panic set in watching the level of water rise fast. Hearing her brother and sister crying, and seeing them only a few feet from her reach, Catarina made her second mistake. She lowered down to help them by herself, and was overwhelmed by the current._

_Consumed with guilt, helplessly watching her brother and sisters drown beside her, and knowing there was nothing she could do to stop it, the young dragoness felt her worse nightmare was coming true. _

_Luckily for her, a yellow dragonfly was witness to her perilous situation, and quick to lend his aid._

_Seeing what he thought was a simple solution to the problem, Sparx showed Catarina a calm smile, and told her he would be right back before plunging into the muddy water. However, upon unplugging the drain, the little dragonfly was quickly swept away with the violent surge of water that emptied from the basin._

_Catarina huddled her brother and sister together, as the water level dropped, and waited for Sparx to emerge...but he never did._

_The image of his last smile now burns her memory. _

"Are you OK, Young lady?" A voice remarks, and the blue-green dragoness opens her eyes with shock. She takes a deep breath seeing Sparx' face again, looking back at her from his father, and lowers her head

"I'm fine!" Catarina replies, backing away, overcome with emotions.

Nina can see her eyes show more fear, as Catarina recognizes them both as Spyro's adoptive parents, and the mother and father of the one that died for her mistakes.

"We were just passing by..." She replies nervously, hoping they don't recognize her. "..we got lost out here during the dedication, and must get back to the great lawn!"

Gianna stares up at her sister with shock.

"But we just found Spyro, Cat! Don't we ha..."

The older dragon places her paw on Gianna's muzzle, cutting off her statement, and pushing her towards the path they came down.

"It's OK, my young friend..." Flash remarks, trying to settle her down. "...we know who you are Catarina, and want to help you."

The blue-green and light purple-winged dragoness pauses, then turns her head towards the two dragonflies. She shutters seeing the tears in their eyes, but a receptive smile on their faces.

"You know who I am?" She replies timidly, and both Flash and Nina fly closer to her face. They place their small hands upon her light blue nose.

"Of we know who you are!" Nina remarks, staring deep into her green eyes. "You are the ones our son choose to protect...with his life!"

Catarina takes a deep breath, and Gianna and Nicholas, standing by her side, grab their sister in a tight embrace to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry..." The young dragoness says, and begins to cry, but Flash is quick to rub the bridge of her nose, showing her a larger smile then before.

"Do not be sorry, Catarina..." He says with confidence, looking over to his wife. "...we have never blamed you for what happened...and have always known, that this was just an accident!"

The young dragoness pauses, looking down at her brother, and placing a paw on Nicholas' head. She can see a smile on his face, trying to cheer her up, but turns her attention to her younger sister. The one she always confides with.

Though she is shy, Gianna will speak her mind to her sister, and decides this is the time to confront her demons. Demons that a younger sister heard her best friend fight with in her nightmares.

"He's right, Catarina!" Gianna says bluntly. "You have been blaming yourself, and that's the only reason why I agreed to find Spyro with you, so he can tell you once and for all...this was not YOUR fault!"

The blue-green dragoness is startled by her sisters reaction, lying back down on her stomach and gives Gianna a cold stare.

"Be quiet..." She says to her younger sister. "...you don't what you're talking about!"

Only a few years younger, Gianna has vibrant memories from that day as well, along with the knowledge of what really happened. She has heard this same reply from Catarina since that day, and finally loses control. The very shy, tiny, orange-chested, red-scaled dragoness stomps her feet HARD, and Catarina jumps as she barks back with RAGE.

"YES I DO!"

"You think I don't remember what happened?" She asks rhetorically, getting in her sister's face. "I was there too!"

"You had no choice but to go out in that storm, Catarina!" The young dragon continues with her voice still a few octaves above normal, and a look of deep concern in her eyes. "We were in danger at the house, or did you forget that?"

Catarina lowers her head, recalling the tree that slammed their home, and a power surge that darkened the lights, however she knows now they would have been safer in the dark, then in the streets.

"We only lost power...I should have never left the house, Gianna..." She replies somberly, trying to keep the blame on herself. "...I should have just stayed where we were, and never took you guys out in that flood."

"It was only raining at the time Catarina, and you did what you were supposed to!" Gianna remarks, grabbing her sister's jaw and staring into her eyes. "You bundled up your brother and sister, and took us to Jordan's house, like mom and dad told you to do if there was a problem."

The younger red and orange dragon pauses, remembering the walk that night, and how scared she was.

"You held my paw so tight, that I still feel your grip..." She says in a trance, recalling every detail of that moment, even the look of confidence in her sister's eyes. A sudden smile fills her face, remembering that look.

"...you made me feel safe!"

Suddenly a chill shoots down her spine, as the awful noise that filled the air that day, echoes in her memories. But mostly, remembering the look of terror that struck Catarina's face seeing the wave approach, and her desperate chase, down the street, after them.

"No one could have expected that dam to break..." She remarks bluntly, then looks at her sister with anger "...SO HOW COULD YOU?"

Catarina says nothing, and Gianna slowly walks over to her sister, lying down beside her.

"You did everything right that day, Catarina..." The young red dragon remarks trying to hold back her tears. "...or I would not be by MY SISTER'S side right now!"

Catarina pauses as Gianna rubs the side of her muzzle against her flank, and lowers her head to the ground. The blue and green dragoness places her left arm around her sister, holding her brother with her right, and embraces them both.

"Well...I couldn't have said that any better myself!" Flash remarks, startling the three whelplings to look in his direction "Now, if you can show us a smile young lady...my wife and I can actually think you believe that!"

Catarina, suddenly feels a weight lift from her soul, as both dragonflies show her their smiles. She tries to show them the same happy gesture, however, the young blue dragoness is still not fully receptive to the idea this is not her fault yet, and shows a less enthusiastic grin.

Nina and Flash chuckle slightly, looking at each other in approval.

"That's a start!" Flash says to his wife "I guess we could call that a smile!"

"I think it's hard to smile with a cut like that, Grandpa!" Sparx remarks sarcastically, suddenly startling everyone as he strolls out of the group of frozen apes. "I would have a hard time smiling too. I'm surprised she's still sitting upright!"

Catarina blushes, as Sparx sits beside her and continues to boost her spirit, and ego.

"This a tough little dragoness..." He remarks, turning his head towards the ape army his father froze solid with one breath. "...I mean, WOW Grandpa...Look at what she did!"

"Stop it!" The blushing dragon replies, showing a bigger smile. "I couldn't do that."

Sparx returns his eyes to Catarina, and places his right paw upon her back.

"No...but you will someday!" He remarks softly, leaning in towards her ear, and placing his left paw upon her injured side.

Catarina jumps from the sudden pain, but relaxes as the throbbing subsides in an instant. Sparx' paw begins to glow with power, and his voice continues softly in her ear.

"You are a very strong dragoness...my father and I felt it." He says, and Catarina can feel his essence begin to envelop her body. "So, just let this power I'm giving you flow unrestrained, and it will help to heal you!"

Nicholas and Gianna, being in their sister's grasp, can feel his power coursing through their bodies as well, and relax along with Catarina. All three take on the regenerating glow of Sparx, and breathe together in unison.

"Three hearts, beating as one..." He says softly, in a trance of power, sending his message throughout the young whelplings. "...this family's bond is strong, and you will always be there to help one another."

Nina and Flash watch with awe as their grandson takes special care of the three dragons their son saved. She glances at her husband, giving him a smile, then gestures her head towards the frozen forest of apes.

"I'm gonna go find Spyro, honey..." She remarks, turning her head towards Sparx, and smiling at his continued support for the three young dragons they've adopted in their hearts. "...I want him to see this."

Flash nods his head, and Nina pauses for another glimpse of their powerful new grandson.

"He's so much like him, Flash!" She remarks before flying off towards the frozen enemy army.

* * *

><p>"Well he's not making me much happier, Gaven..." Spyro barks with anger, looking at the small group of frozen apes that attacked his home. "...I can't believe he's making a move this quickly. I thought he would need time to recover!"<p>

"Well I'm not surprised, he is as ruthless as they come Spyro, and I would say, he's just looking for blood now..." The Portal Master's voice crackles back, and Spyro can hear his fingers tapping the buttons at his control panel. "...but I think you have a good plan, and that should still give you the upper hand!"

Spyro shows a slight smile, hearing the confidence in his superior officer.

"It looks as if he has his entire army approaching your position, and that will be his downfall!" The Portal Master continues. "Everyone is on standby, General...you are in command from here on out!"

"Yes sir!" Spyro remarks taking control of the entire Skylander forces, and feeling an incredible amount of responsibility. This is the first time Gaven has given him control of everyone, and the purple dragon takes a deep breath, relaxing himself for a moment to speak.

"Thank you Gaven, and I want you to know there's only one friend that I've had in my life, who has been more loyal...and that I respected more than you..." He says, pausing to look over at his mother whom he just noticed eavesdropping on this conversation. Spyro throws her a smile.

"...and I called him my brother!"

Nina smiles back at her son, and Gaven pauses taking a breath himself.

"Good Luck General!" He replies, and the purple and gold hero can hear a tone of emotion in the old master's voice. "And Spyro...if you need my help personally...don't hesitate to call!"

The crackling sound of Spyro's communicator shutting down, covers Nina's joyfully sobs, but then he clearly hears the emotion flow from a proud mother.

"You two were the best boys a mother could ever have..." She remarks, floating over to her son, and wiping the large tear that begins forming in his left eye. "...and never once, did we doubt your love towards one another...or to us!"

Spyro places his paw gently against his mother's back, as she stretches her arms over the bridge of his nose. The same way he has hugged his much smaller mother nearly his whole life, and the same comfort still comes from this tiny but overwhelmingly powerful touch.

"I love you Mom!" Spyro remarks, then looks his adoptive mother in the face.

A gambit of emotions, followed by countless visions, fill the young hero's heart, and he closes his eyes to let them do their job. These memories allow him to see his brother and the many triumphs they had over the years. Victories that would have never came to pass, if this dragonfly he is hugging, did not save his life.

"I can never repay You or Dad, for what you gave me!" He says, adding just a little more pressure to his overbearing hug.

"You already did Spyro..." Nina replies, returning the same tight grip on his nose. "...you already did...My Baby!"

Spyro, knowing the danger that fast approaches, still takes his time to hold his mother quietly, letting her release some of her emotion. The purple and gold dragon, relishes this moment as long as he can, taking several deep breaths, and looking around at the place he still calls home.

Suddenly, his eyes focus on the hundred or so apes he froze before, and the young hero becomes angered.

Nina can feel the flip in her son's emotion, and quickly becomes concerned.

"What is it Spyro?" She asks calmly...trying to understand what's on his mind, and she watches as his eyes return to hers with rage, but also sorrow.

"I'm sorry, Mom..." He replies, looking towards the home he grew up in, and seeing a cloud of dust rising up into the sky from the north. "...we have to leave our home!"

"What's happening?" She asks, seeing anger take over his eyes as his pupils slowly fade away.

"You and Dad need to go with Sparx, and those young whelplings, to the city..." The purple dragon remarks, then looks back to his mother. "...I will make sure you're not followed, but you have to go now!"

"DAD!" Sparx screams out, startling Spyro and Nina, and both can hear the fear in his voice.

Spyro runs out of the frozen group of apes to his son's side, and he quickly notices the reason for his panic. Unable to see from where he was standing, Spyro gets a quick glimpse of the second, even larger and much closer, disturbance approaching from the west.

"By the Ancestors!" He remarks with concern, then leaps into the air to get a full view of the danger.

Sparx and three healed whelplings look up at the purple and gold dragon, as Nina and Flash do the same. The parents of the noble hero quickly watch as their son's pupils return, and show a deep concern.

"SPARX...RUN NOW...GET EVERYONE OUT OF HERE!" His father yells, and in less than a second, the young dragon can see his reason for great concern. Hundreds of apes, swarming like locusts, pour out of the forest, and into the mushroom village.

Without pause in his action, Sparx grasps Catarina, who is still holding her brother and sister, and takes off into the air. He snatches his grandparents with his hind paws, on the way up, and gives his father a worried look.

"GO Sparx...I will cover your exit" He says, and the young dragon stops his ascent.

"What about you Dad? I can't leave you here all alone!" The young dragon remarks, and Spyro shows him an anger-filled stare as his pupils, once again, disappear.

"I SAID GO!" His father yells and Sparx' tail curls up with fear. He shows Spyro a set of teary eyes that pierce the young hero's heart, and somberly turns around to fly away.

"SPARX..." Spyro yelps, and his son stops again, turning to see a smile on his father's face. "...I'll be OK... I still have a few tricks up my sleeve..."

Spyro holds up his right paw, showing off the wrist communicator embedded in his palm, and continues with a smugness in his voice.

"...and I will not be alone!"

Sparx exhales a deep breath, then shows a slight smile to his father.

"Now, please son...you need to leave now..." Spyro pauses, looking down at the mushroom village, now swarming with thousands of apes of all sizes. He looks back at his mother and grins. "...I don't want my mom to see what I'm about to do to her home!"

"What?" Nina barks, giving Spyro a puzzled look, but before she can get a single response from her son, Sparx takes off towards the city.

A smile fills the purple and gold dragon's face, as he watches his family leave for the safety within New Warfang's walls, and a slight chuckle follows hearing his mother's angry voice fading as she gets further from the danger.

"Don't worry Mom..." Spyro says to himself, looking back down at the mob of evil creatures, already destroying the village. "...I will rebuild our home on their ashes!"

Spyro begins tapping buttons on his wrist communicator, and smiles as a portal begins to open above the mushroom village, in a horizontal position.

"Drop one now, Gaven!" He orders into his palm.

"Already...We'll then you better get the hell out of there, General!" The Portal Master replies, and Spyro looks down at the group that will not be there much longer, showing a very smug grin.

"Yes Sir!" The purple dragon remarks, and watches as a glowing orb begins to emerge from the hovering portal. Spyro thrusts his wings back, circling around, and taking off as fast as he can.

He turns his head back, watching this powerful energy bomb fall to the ground, and a cold reality strikes Spyro's soul. He is witnessing the destruction of his home, and the place where he grew up playing with his brother.

"I will make you pay for this, Tycor..." Spyro barks to himself, turning his eyes away from the bright flash of light that envelops the village. "...By the ancestors, I swear to you now...you will die by my paw!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, just above the tree line, and vigilantly staring down, two dragons are continuing their search for three lost children. Never taking their eyes from the ground, the black and green dragons have found nothing but empty forest. Even as frustrated as they are, they have still enjoyed a thought-provoking conversation. Both are stunned at the similarities between themselves, and have not stopped talking since they left the temporary stage, almost an hour ago. However, one last statement shocks the green dragon, and he cannot help but repeat what he just heard.<p>

"You have nine children...and their all girls!" Nick remarks with a chuckle, still staring down at the ground, but he looks up when he notices Blanca come to a dead stop.

"What is that supposed to mean, Nick?" The Shadow dragon asks with anger, watching a bit of fear build in the green dragon's eyes. "Is there any reason you are laughing?"

"NO!" Nick replies, surprised at Blanca's negative reaction. "I love girls...I have two of them, and I... I was just...ahhh"

"Calm down Nick..." The Shadow Clan leader says, trying to settle himself down. "...I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

He can see the sweat beading on the green dragon's brow, and realizes he meant nothing by his comment, but inside, Blanca heard a voice from his past.

"Why can't you make a man?" The Shadow dragon suddenly remarks, looking at Nick with a smile. "That's all I ever heard from my father."

Blanca takes a deep breath, and looks up at the sky.

"He died during the war, and never had a chance to see a grandson..." Blanca takes another breath, pauses for a moment to control his emotion, then looks at Nick with a smile once more.

"...but I have gotten over it...I love my daughters, and would not want to have it any other way."

Blanca can see the half-smile shown by his new friend, and suddenly remembers why they are there. The shadow dragon hovers over to Nick, and places his paw upon the green dragon's flank

"Our children are our life, and that is why I'm here to help you find your kids!"

Both dragons refocus their efforts, and continue a search pattern that has covered only a fraction of this massive park. However, they still continue to talk.

"So are you gonna to keep trying?" Nick bluntly asks, staying on the touchy topic, and he notices Blanca stutter in flight. "Come on your young enough...Aren't You?"

The Shadow Clan leader smiles, hearing the sarcastic tone in the younger dragon's voice.

"I'm young enough to beat you senseless if you ask me that again!" Blanca replies, with the same amount of sarcasm, and Nick does not show fear this time, instead he laughs hearing the dark dragons humor is much like his.

A moment or two goes by, before Nick decides to press the issue again

"So why don't you?" He says, not fearing the repercussions of the question, and this time stops himself. Blanca holds up alongside, seeing Nick really wants an answer. "I mean seriously...you told me you love your wife, so what is stopping you?"

"I have nine girls, Nick!" He replies bluntly. "...Do you know how hard it is to watch over NINE GIRLS!"

The green dragon laughs again, and Blanca shows a bit of anger at his reaction to his woes.

"That's why I love my Son!" Nick replies smugly. "So when I get older, he can watch them for me..."

The green dragon grasps Blanca's shoulder and looks deep into his eyes.

"... he is only TWO, and it has already started!"

Nick stares out over the vast forest, and takes a deep breath. He settles his own emotions, and looks back into Blanca's green eyes again.

"I know my boy is watching his sisters right now, and that gives me some comfort, but..." Nick lowers his head knowing how stubborn his son is. "...he's only two, and thinks he's a hero, like Spyro!"

Blanca reaches his left paw around the green dragon's back, and pulls him muzzle to muzzle.

"Because he is...but not like Spyro!" The Shadow Dragon says quietly. "He's a hero like his father...and don't you forget that!"

Nick shows the shadow dragon a grateful smile, and Blanca releases his grip.

"Now let's go find your children...Hero!"

The green dragon nods his head, and both continue their search.

A few more moments go by, before a sudden movement in the trees catches Blanca's eyes. He turns towards the rustling brush, and Nick follows along, seeing the same thing.

"Is that them?" The young father barks with excitement, finally seeing something that resembles life, and picking up the pace of his flight.

Suddenly, Blanca's powerful eyes fill with a great fear, seeing several apes readying to leap from the shadows of a nearby tree top. He can see all the trees begin to move, and thousands of eyes reflecting light from the darkness.

"NO!" Blanca screams.

Blindly charging for what he believes are his children, the green dragon has no clue of the danger, and feels something suddenly pounce upon his back.

Nick, startled by the impact, shakes his body, and turns his head to see what hit him, and a deep shock fills his heart. He can see three apes falling to the ground, after he bucked them off, however, his eyes lock on the one still holding on to his left wing. Still in shock, Nick watches helplessly as this ape warrior plunges a sharp dagger into his side.

Feeling the pain, immediately, but still not believing what is happening, Nick just freezes in flight. He can't even move, nor scream in pain, his eyes just focused on the red pupils of his killer, and the blood coming from the wound to his flank.

Suddenly, a dozen black claws, made completely of shadows, shear the ape from every direction, and his dismembered body falls from the green dragon.

Blanca, slams Nick from below, to keep his momentum moving up, and quickly uses his shadow power again. Hundreds of arrows fly harmless through a dark cloud, as the powerful dragon disappears into the Shadow Realm, with his injured friend in tow.

Nick can feel the pain of his wound begin to throb, but is frightened as his vision goes dark, and the world around him becomes cold. His arms and legs stiffen, and Nick realizes he can no longer move an inch. The green dragon becomes consumed with the thought that he is dying, and a whimper of sorrow comes from the distraught father.

"Hang on, Nick!" He hears suddenly, and the world around him returns. His eyes focus up on Blanca's and watch as they fade to black. "We are not out of danger yet, so just stay calm, and stop trying to move."

With these quick words, the world again goes dark and cold, and that is when Nick notices what is happening. He is still in the forest, but cloaked by a unique magic, hidden in the darkness by the most powerful Shadow Dragon in history. A sense of calm falls over him, allowing Blanca to move at a quicker pace.

"We must find Spyro, and warn him of this development!" His voice echoes in the darkness, and Nick once again begins to shutter.

"What about my children?" He replies, and Blanca remains silent for a moment.

"I'm sorry Nick..." The dark dragon says, dropping his magic cloak to look his new friend in the eyes. "...I'm afraid they may..."

"NO!" Nick screams, cutting Blanca off before he can say what he is fearing the most. "They're not dead...DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"

Blanca pauses, knowing that is not likely considering what he just saw, but looks Nick in the eye, and nods his head. It is how he would be thinking if his daughters went missing.

"We are still going to need Spyro's help, Nick. You and I cannot handle that alone..." He remarks, gesturing his head towards the ambushing swarm approaching them again. He then stares into the green dragon's eyes, as his fade to black, again cloaking both dragons in shadow.

The cold sensation of the darkness, chills Nick's spine, but the resounding words from the dragon keeping him safe, shake him to his core.

"...I just pray they are not in this area, my friend...or even Spyro's help, would be pointless!"

* * *

><p><strong>Well I hope you liked the start of this War, because I'm just getting warmed up. Spyro and his son will be forced into action, as the battle lines change, and the Dark Master makes his presence known to all...so stay tuned for the next chapter.<strong>


	35. The Spirit of the City

**I find myself a bit angered posting this chapter. I think my skills lack the certain edge that would make this scene perfect. I hope you all can follow along to what I envisioned, because, at this time, I can do no better...and that is the reason for my anger **

**Please let me know if I'm over analyzing...or if I just stink!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 35 The Spirit of the City<p>

_Bound in the vines of his own rage, buried deep in a forest of hate and revenge, Tycor watches helplessly as his body soars through the air. Unable to control any movement, and forced to watch his actions, the son of the great Earth dragon Titan, is shocked seeing the Palace of New Warfang appear on the horizon. _

"_Are you crazy or stupid?" The stone dragon remarks. "My friends will kill you if you try to step foot in the city!"_

_A cold laughter echoes inside his head, and Tycor can see the Dark Master's pure form develop within the dream world of his soul. A powerful swirl of Convexity, held together with the energy of a sun, flashing with constant pulses of black lightning. _

"_Now why would you think that..." The Dark Master remarks, still controlling the flight of his symbiont puppet as second thought. "...I mean look for yourself, Tycor!"_

_The Dark energy creature points his hand towards the horizon, and half of the imaginary forest disappears, showing the bound dragon a larger vision of his actions. In complete control, the Dark Master focuses his attention to the main rampart tower, and a very familiar orange and black dragon. _

_At the top of the enormous main gate of New Warfang, this dragon's color quickly catches Tycor's eyes. He was hoping the Manweresmalls would just fire the cannons at him, but becomes depressed seeing his friend intervening quickly on his behalf._

"_He's your best-friend, and would never let anyone hurt you..." The Dark Master whispers in Tycor's ear, and the bound dragon quickly shutters from a specific memory. "...he swore on his life, the day after I killed your family!"_

"Garnet my friend, open the door for me...will ya!"

_Tycor can hear his voice yell out in the real world, the same way he has always asked to enter the city, and the Dark Master smiles in his face. However, both are not surprised as the gate remains locked, and the orange and black dragon eagerly drops from the high wall, running up to his best-friend, and mentor._

"What did you do Tycor?" The stone dragon asks with deep concern in his eyes, and turns to the other three palace guards that land beside him. "We have orders to take you into custody, for attacking Spyro and the Guardians!"

Even as a citizen of this grand city, the Dark Master knew Tycor would not be able to just walk in after what he did the day before, and is finding the greeting he was expecting upon return. A standing order to detain the stone dragon, has been given to all Palace Guards, and they are surprised when the dragon they are told has gone crazy, lands before the gate with a genuine smile on his face.

"I did not attack the Guardians..." He replies quickly, easing his friend for only a moment. "...I only attacked Spyro...they just happened to get in my way!"

"What is wrong with you!" Garnet barks to his friend, knowing his feud with Cynder and her husband personally, but never believing he would do what he was accused of. However hearing it from his own mouth, the palace guard has no choice but to follow his orders.

"I'm sorry, Tycor...but I have to place you under arrest...for treason!" Garnet says, then looks at his fellow guards, holding a set of shackles.

"Do what you have to...Friend!" Tycor remarks, as the three other dragons place Titan's Cuffs on the stone master, a special set of restraints designed by his father to hold any Earth Elemental...including himself.

"I completely understand your position."

Garnet, hearing his best friend's snide tone, looks Tycor in the eye, and lowers his head seeing no remorse.

"You really did it...didn't you? You tried to kill Spyro?" He asks, and his heart sinks into his stomach, as the dragon he has known for years, smugly smiles in his face.

"I told you I would kill him, Garnet..." Tycor replies with an evil voice that chills the orange dragon's spine. "...but now I think I'll make him suffer a little bit more!"

Garnet slaps the brown and black dragon across the face, and stares into his eyes, as Tycor returns an angered glare.

"_Maybe...I will just kill this one first!" The Dark Master remarks to his bound puppet, rubbing his cheek from the impact that Tycor's body received._

_The bound dragon, feels the sting on his face as well, but then smiles for a brief second. He notices the Dark Master's grimacing face, and straightens his expression not to show he has this knowledge. A weakness of sorts in this dream world, Tycor notices quickly that the Dark Master feels the same stinging pain that he does._

"_But what good will that do!" He remarks to himself._

However, in the real world, Garnet has seen enough, tugging the slack chain running from Tycor's neck-brace to his front legs. He pulls the shackled dragon's attention to him, and shows and angered set of eyes.

"Cooperate, Tycor..." The orange and black dragon remarks with a great deal of hatred "We don't want to have to drag you away, so just walk easy!"

Garnet pauses hearing the tone in his voice, and not believing this is happening to the dragon his parents helped raise...a dragon he has been proud to call a brother.

"Maybe with some help...you can find a way to let go of this anger..." The orange dragon somberly continues, looking up towards the stone dragon he has studied under.

"...but I just hope it's not too late."

"_Oh, but it is too late..." The Dark Master says to Tycor. "...too late for him!"_

"_Don't do that to him...Master!" Tycor remarks, and the evil energy creature turns around with shock, staring into the tear-filled eyes of the broken and bound dragon. _

"_MASTER, NOW!"_

"_You don't need to kill him." He continues, looking into the narrow eyes of his captor. "I swear I will cooperate, but you cannot kill this dragon."_

_The Dark Master smiles and looks back at the vision of the real world he is projecting for Tycor to watch._

"_Then, I will not...I promise!" The evil creature replies and the bound dragon is surprised, not only by his answer, but feeling the vines becoming loose around his arms and legs. _

"_You will!"_

_Tycor becomes enraged at the thought._

"_No...I am not in control!" The brown and black dragon yells, sending a wave of his anger throughout this dream world. "You can make my body do what you wish...but this will not be by my paw!"_

_The Dark Master quickly get into Tycor's face, showing him a very smug grin, and uses his most taunting tone to provoke his anger further. _

"_That is exactly what Cynder said, before **she** killed your father!"_

The brown and black dragon, shuffling his feet, bound in the super-strength Earth-proofed steel shackles, smiles as he strolls into the city with relative ease.

Following a step behind the orange dragon, paced by three others to his right, left, and behind, Dark Tycor rotates his head around to look at the dragons escorting him to the detention center.

"_You know all four of these dragons...don't you?" The Dark Master asks rhetorical, knowing every memory of the body he has stolen, staring into the stone dragon's angered eyes._

"_Yes I do!" He replies with increasing rage. "We went to school together. They're were all good friends of mine..." Tycor pauses, looking down depressed, before finishing his thought. "...until I started my feud with Spyro."_

"_Some friends..." The Dark Master remarks, waving his hand, and clearing the entire forest in Tycor's mind, showing him a complete 360 degree view of what he is doing. "...they are taking their friend to his death!"_

"_Well I deserve to die for what I've done, so I really don't care if I'm put to death..." Tycor's eyes focus solidly on the Dark Master. "...as long as you die with me!"_

_The evil master laughs in his face, and the vines begin to loosen further from around Tycor's body._

"_Do you really think I can be killed so easily, you fool!" The Dark Master remarks with an arrogant tone, chuckling from the thought of him dying at the guardians' whim. "There is nothing stopping me from just killing these pathetic dragons, and taking the city by force?"_

_The Dark Master turns his head to see has freed himself from the vines that held him. _

"_Do you think you can stop me, big fella!" The evil energy creature taunts, closing his eyes and holding out his arms in surrender. "Well here I am...take your best shot!"_

_Rage fills his eyes, as they lock upon the Dark Master's throat. Tycor rears his paw back, and swats at the evil creature in control of his body. However, his heart begins to race, as The Dark Master disappears, and the powerful earth dragon realizes suddenly..._

...he is back in the real world.

With Titan's cuffs binding his paws he is still able to lift his paws up. The four dragons that have known Tycor forever, gave him a slack chain to allow a friend the courtesy of walking, instead of being dragged. Now, with his arm raised high, Tycor swings down with deadly force, at the evil creature that he saw standing before him. However, it is the orange and black scales of his friend's back that fill his eyes, followed quickly by the crimson-red color that will haunt his memory forever. The Earth dragon freezes with horror, as Garnet falls to the ground motionless, bleeding profusely from the wound that **he** give him.

He is immediately taken to the ground hard by the three remaining guards, and Tycor feels every single stinging blow laid upon his body, but never takes his eyes from his friend.

"GARNET!" Tycor yells, being pummeled by the angry guards, but still his only concern is a friend that is not breathing.

"NO, Please...Gar..."

Tycor is quickly muzzled by the three guards, and the slack chain on his shackles is violently tugged in, hog-tying his legs together. They continue to hit the defenseless dragon with brutal force, knowing he just killed their compatriot, yelling with anger and rage at a dragon they once knew as a friend.

However Tycor just stares at the gash he laced into Garnet's back, and stares at the eyes of a brother...that suddenly go cold.

"NO..." He says softly,_ suddenly feeling the odd sensation of his dream world again._

"_...I couldn't have just done that!"_

_The forest of his darkest fear reappears, and Tycor can feel the shackling of his hatred cover his body in vines once more._

"_Oh...but you did, my young friend..." The Dark Master remarks, standing beside the restrained dragon. "..and now you know how hopeless it is to fight against me...just like Cynder found out!"_

_The Dark Master pauses, then turns to look into Tycor's depressed eyes._

"_NOW...I'll take over from here!"_

_The Dark Master vanishes without another word, and Tycor is forced to witness a brutal display of power._

As the three guards tie off the shackled paws of the Dark Master's puppet, readying to drag him off to prison, a strange heat begins to develop around his body. All three back off with shock, understanding the power they feel.

"How can that be!" One guard remarks, as the steel shackles begin to melt from the intense heat of the dragon bound in them. "He's an Earth dragon! Only a Fire Master can do that!"

Dark Tycor stands on his feet, as the molten steel drips from his legs, raising his left paw to pull the muzzle from his angered face.

"I am...a Master of Fire!" He remarks, and lights up the street with an inferno of flames. Two of the guards, unable to take the crucible-like heat, vaporize in an instant, but the one fire dragon in the group survives the intense heat. He is burned intensely by a flame well above his power level, and watches helplessly as The Dark Dragon steps closer, with smoke and fire still billowing from his mouth. The last surviving palace guard tries desperately to crawl away.

"I am a Master of all the Elements, you fool..." He remarks with pure arrogance, and shows the red-scaled dragon his real eyes.

"No...Tycor...how could you..." The severely injured dragon cries, seeing the set of cat's eyes in a dark yellow background. The same stare that all dragons remember from Malefor. "...how can you be the Dark Master...You were my Friend!"

The evil master places his puppet's solid paw atop the smaller dragon's chest, holding him down, and shows a taunting smile from his still fiery muzzle.

However, his voice is bitter cold.

"Friends are useless!" He replies, suddenly snapping his head down, and firing an ice-cycle through the chest of the fire dragon.

_Tycor begins sobbing hearing his name called out in blame by a dying friend._

"_I didn't mean to...I'm sorry...I couldn't stop..." He cries, looking down at the vines surrounding him again, only now understanding why they hold him so tight. The anger he has carried for revenge, allowing him a taste of what some else has felt. A dragoness that has tried to apologize a hundred times, for actions she had no control of. _

"_...I'm sorry..." He continues, weeping uncontrollably as he turns his head up towards the sky. "...I'm so sorry, Cynder!" _

Moments earlier, inside the Great Palace of New Warfang, Cynder and Diamond continue to swap their ideas with only thought. Another powerful lesson that was quickly absorbed by the young dragoness, surprising the old spirit dragon with how fast she is learning things.

The sound of laughter now echoes from the dark hall, leading into Diamond's quarters, and the one place he knows can help her learn a very important skill.

Cynder follows the blind dragon's lead, the pure aura of her soul lighting the way for them to walk in the dark hall. However, as they enter into a larger room, the brightness of the suns of Avalar, fill the area with light.

Diamond drops back a step allowing Cynder to pace beside him and they walk towards the balcony, for her next test. The albino dragon suddenly stops, and turns to face the young dragoness, showing her a tremendous smile.

"_I cannot believe how fast these powers are taking their hold, Cynder!"_ Diamond's voice echoes in her head, now striding side by side with the dark purple and red dragoness. _"I can actually see a change in your appearance in just these last few minutes."_

Cynder lowers her head slightly, quickly noticing her scales, and that this change it is not just spiritual, but a physical one as well. A distinct color has begun to affect the darkness of her body, surrounding the trailing ends of each dark scale with a pure white lining.

"My scales are turning White, Diamond!" She remarks with shock, staring into his light purple eyes with concern. "Is this permanent...am I going to look like you, when we're done!"

Diamond stomps his feet, and looks at Cynder with a bit of anger.

"What! Is white not appealing to you?" He says, and Cynder shows some embarrassment, but then smiles.

"NO..." She remarks with a bit of arrogance in her voice, turning to face the albino dragon, and staring at his bland white color. "...Not really!"

Diamond laughs, hearing her tone of sarcasm and the truth behind her words.

"It's OK, Cynder...you will not turn white like me. In fact..." He remarks, then Diamond's scales suddenly change to a dark, onyx-black color, and Cynder's eyes open wide.

"...this is how I looked at birth! I only chose to remain white because there are so few dragons of that color." Diamond continues, returning to his normal bland white, and focuses his attention to one of the many mirror-like windows, reflecting their images. "It works well for me Cynder, however, I would prefer you remain like this!"

Cynder turns her attention to the window, and pauses seeing the brilliance of her new scales. The white lining, against the dark purple, reflects the light like a shimmering blanket of silk, and she gasps as a rippling wave of the white color flows with her every movement.

"You are absolutely stunning, young lady..." Diamond remarks, and Cynder balks her head, looking down to the slightly smaller dragon. "...just wait until Spyro gets a look at you like that!"

"I thought you couldn't see, Diamond?" She says awkwardly, and the white dragon gives a slight chuckle.

"I can see how happy you are, looking at that reflection." He says confidently, shading his eyes as this compliment sends her aura to a brightness he's never witnessed. "Besides, this appears to be the way you've envisioned yourself."

Cynder looks back at the albino dragon with a bit of confusion, and Diamond places his paw against her dark-purple and white-scaled neck, turning her eyes back towards her reflection.

"You took that form without seeing it, and that proves to me this is your true self..." Diamond says, then gently pulls her muzzle back to face his, and stares deep into her eyes.

"You are without a doubt a powerful Spirit Dragon..." He says, stoking his paw down her neck, and noticing up-close the difference in her energy from his. "...and you're still able to hold on to your troubled past-life!"

Cynder lowers her head, thinking he is giving bad news, and Diamond watches her aura darken a great deal.

"_Do not fear that, my young friend!" _ His thoughts whisper softly, lifting her chin to look into her eyes again. _"It is who you are Cynder...and is something that no one can take from you...as you've already found out!_"

Cynder becomes more depressed, focusing on the one moment in her life, she has tried so hard to forget. Going as far as asking the Guardian of the Universe to use his power to remove those memories. It didn't work, and even though Spyro forgave her, Cynder can still feel the emotions of her actions against his parents.

"I don't want to remember that anymore!" She says somberly, and her brightened scales return to normal.

"_I know, Cynder..." _ The old dragon remarks, pulling her to his chest for a supporting embrace. _"...but the past is what we use to make our future...and the future you have, is only for you do decide now...NOT HIM!"_

Cynder takes a deep breath, and looks towards the mirror once more. A slight smile fills her face, and the white lining around her scales appears again. Diamond pats her on the back, seeing her aura returning, and knowing how hard she is trying.

"_That's better..."_ He says softly to her mind, then looks towards the balcony of his home. _"...it will take time for you to understand why these things have happened...but I think you find in time...this was meant to be!"_

Diamond smiles at her, then slowly strides towards his personal balcony.

"...until then, come with me, and see something that will make you feel Spirited again..." He pauses, looking back at her aura once more, and using his real voice to encourage her to follow. "...and maybe... just maybe, match your beauty."

The now brighter dragoness blushes for a moment, adding a rosy-red to the now lighter shade of her face. She then walks by the albino dragon, standing near the open doorway, and out onto the highest perch in the city. Her eyes open wide seeing this stunning view, that very few get a chance to look at.

"Wow Diamond...this is incredible...I cannot believe the view you get to look at every morning." She remarks, staring out over the city and into the newly dedicated Dragonfly Park. "You can see Spyro's house from here!"

"Well I don't see as well as you do, my dear..." Diamond remarks sarcastically, and Cynder shows a bit of embarrassment. She turns her head to look at the blind albino dragon, walking up to her left side, but settles down quickly seeing a smile on his face.

"_...however, I will teach you to see...what you don't!"_

Cynder smiles, and both dragons walk over to the ledge of the balcony

"I want you to try to look at the city, and the forest, the same way you look at your husband...with deep emotion!" Diamond says staring out to the great lawn, and seeing thousands of swirling auras, filling his eyes with bountiful color. "The park is offering an incredible light show today, Cynder...and I want you to see all the dragons' spirits for yourself."

Cynder looks down, over the high wall, into the center of the park, and her heart pounds seeing so many dragons in one place.

"Wow, look at them all! I couldn't really see from down there, but from up here..." Cynder turns her head back to Diamond, to show the expression on her face of what she is seeing, however the angered look in the Great Elder's eyes takes her attention quickly.

"...What's the matter, Diamond?"

"We need to warn your husband quickly!" He replies, pointing his paw towards the southern end of the park. "Everyone's in terrible danger, Cynder!"

The young dragoness stares down the length of his paw, toward the dense forest, but sees nothing more than trees. Confusion fills her head, and she starts to look away, but Diamond quickly latches his paw to the back of Cynder's neck, and points her eyes towards what he sees.

"LOOK HARD DAMN IT..." Diamond barks in her ear "...BUT NOT WITH YOUR EYES!"

Cynder startled with fear, feeling the strong grip of Diamond's paw, and the ease in which he is holding her, returns her eyes to the forest. However, the fear she feels is a catalyst to help her see, and a quick flash of power is what she notices.

"What was that?" She says, turning her head to Diamond as he releases his grip.

"That is a vision of fear, my dear, and I'm sorry if I scared you doing that, but I don't think we have time to play around anymore..." Diamond remarks, then slowly turns his head towards the North Gate. He just felt a great power approaching, and his fear is confirmed seeing the dark aura of a certain dragon, escorted into the city by the Palace Guard.

"...it appears the Dark Master has brought his new slave back home!"

Cynder turns her head to look, and shock fills her eyes seeing the snake-patterned brown and black dragon that attacked her family yesterday.

"Tycor...the Dark Master?" She asks apprehensively. "How?"

Diamond lowers his head, knowing the truth, hearing it from the young dragon's mind the day before.

"Sparx!"

Cynder is startled by his blunt response, and shows the white dragon her anger for even suggesting her son has anything to do with the Dark Master.

"What are you talking about, Diamond!"

"You son was holding his power inside for weeks!" The powerful spirit dragon replies, staring down at the guards and their prisoner heading towards the palace. "That is why he was so sick, and unable to regain his strength..."

"He was fighting to keep his soul, and he won!" Diamond looks back up at Cynder, and shows a very uneasy expression. "However...he was forced to release his control upon the Dark Master, and the evil bastard somehow found his way into Tycor."

Cynder continues to show a great deal of anger, then returns her attention to the ground.

"Then why would he just surrender Diamo..." The young dragoness begins to say, then stops as Tycor strikes the orange dragon leading him. "...By the ancestors!"

Cynder readies to leap off the balcony to help the Palace Guards, but the White dragon holds her put.

"NO Cynder..." Diamond barks, pulling her back to the ground. "...he is too strong for you and I!"

"But he's going to kill them!" She replies, and Diamond grasps her tighter.

"_They're dead already..."_ The white dragon remarks to her mind, and shows Cynder his seriousness with a jolt of his power. _"...and we will be next if you go down there...so please don't make me follow you!"_

Cynder pauses, and her eyes fill up with the inferno of flames that wipe two more dragons from the face of Avalar. She becomes more enraged, but for a different reason.

Even though this is the dragon that tried to kill her family, she can feel a deep pain from her past inside, knowing Tycor is not in control. Like her...he is being forced to kill for his master. Cynder knows this dragon very well, and his friends. She has tried to use his friends to help convince him to listen to her, and that is why the tears begin to flow fast from her eyes. Cynder can tell, these dragons Tycor is killing, are the same friends she ask for help.

"How can we let him do this Diamond?" She says, then looks into her new Mentor's eyes, using her mind to finish her thought.

"_We can't just sit here while he uses Tycor for his amusement!"_

"_We cannot do anything, Cynder!"_ He replies with his own mind, looking back at her with deep sincerity in his light purple eyes. _"We would be as helpless against him as they are..."_

Cynder watches his eyes lose focus, as Diamond thinks of their capture, and the Dark Master possessing his protegé with her new powers.

"_...he would have his Terror of The Sky again, and a terror it would be...for all of us!" _He continues holding her solidly with his paws._ "He would be absolutely vicious towards you this time Cynder, and with the power he can exploit from a Spirit Dragon...he could destroy our entire race with just a thought."_

tears continue to flow from Cynder's eyes, hearing the screams of the last dragon, knowing if Spyro was there, they would have intervened. However, realizing that she is different now, and that she does not fully understand the powers inside of her, Cynder just lowers her head with depression.

"What can we do?" She ask with defeat.

"_We must hide for now, and hope he doesn't notice us!"_ The Great Elder remarks, and Cynder's eyes show anger again. _"If possible we get a message to Spyro or even Malefor, but for now we must get out of his path!" _

"I won't run like a coward..." Cynder replies, now grasping the old dragon with her paws. " ...and I refuse to just hide from him, Diamond...so forget that plan!"

"_You don't understand!"_

"NO!" Cynder barks loudly. "You don't understand, Diamond...I will not let him ruin another life...not even Tycor's!"

Cynder looks over the balcony, locking her eyes on the Dark Master, whom didn't hear a peep from above. She can see he is now preoccupied with several Palace Guards, and turns back to her Mentor with rage in her eyes.

"These dragons are going to die, Diamond...just like the other four!" She remarks with a cold tone in her voice that spooks the white dragon.

"_I won't let their deaths be for nothing..."_

Cynder yanks the light weight dragon up into her arms and opens her wings.

"_...we are going to leave the city during their valiant distraction and get my husband..."_ She tells the Great Elder, her eyes fading to pure white, and the power of her aura now blinding him further.

"_...and we will finally put an end to this!"_

Cynder turns towards the west, and the direction of her husband's old home, the place he said he would be waiting for her.

She readies her legs to leap into the air, when suddenly, the sky lights up with a powerful explosion.

The young dragoness drops the Great Elder to the balcony floor, shielding her eyes from the blast, and her heart begins to pound in her chest.

"By the Ancestors...NO!" Cynder cries, as her vision returns, slowly revealing the mushroom cloud rising from deep in the park, and exactly where Spyro's childhood home would be.

A deep depression fills her heart, believing see just witnessed her true love's death, and screams his name at the top of her lungs

"SPY...RO!"

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you liked this chapter. Again...I don't know if it reads like I see it, but I guess that is the reason I'm doing this.<strong>


	36. The Big Bang

**I guess the last chapter was good, OK...I can stop doubting myself. **

* * *

><p>Chapter 36 The Big Bang<p>

Nearly a mile from the city's south gate, in the center of the Forbidden Forest, the group from the valley is forced to hold up short of New Warfang. One dragon is suddenly having second thoughts about facing his past.

Malefor, seeing the massive palace rising up over the horizon, lowers from the sky towards a fresh clearing of woods.

"What are you doing?" The cheetah hermit remarks, still riding on the large purple dragon's back.

"I can't do this!" He says with anguish in his voice, and continues down to the ground. Malefor grasps the old cheetah from his back, places his feet on the ground, and looks up at the circling Monsoon and Excelcius.

"Go with them if you wish, old hermit..." Malefor remarks, turning to walk away, reeling with pain in his heart. "...I am not going to the city...not yet!"

"What's going on here?" Excelcius remarks, while landing beside the large purple dragon. "Are you alright, Malefor?"

With just a look from his new friend's eyes, The powerful red dragon knows his answer.

"I was thinking that I better stay here, Excelcius...we've not seen another one of those beasts, since we left the valley...and I'm pretty sure Spyro would not want me to just show up in the middle of his brother's dedication."

The purple dragon's voice is filled with pure anxiety, and both Excelcius and Monsoon show they completely understand.

"Yes...I can see your point, Malefor!" The future guardian replies, watching the massive blue dragon nod in acknowledgment as well.

"Well I don't see it that way...you coward!" The old hermit barks, staring at Malefor with anger.

"I guess you two should continue to the city, and warn who you must..." The fierce cheetah says, stepping closer to the purple dragon, showing the seriousness in his eyes. "...but trust me...we will be right behind you in a moment!"

"NO...I am staying here!" Malefor remarks with anger, staring down the brown and gray-haired cheetah.

"NO...you will not remain here, yellow belly..." The crazy minded hermit replies, placing his right paw on the pommel of his sword "...if you don't get moving, I will just kill you, and drag you there myself"

"And how do you plan on doing that, you crazy old hermit!" Malefor barks, standing up into in a defensive posture.

Suddenly, and without seeing his movements, the purple dragon stops feeling the old cheetah's sword against his throat.

Monsoon and Excelcius jump at the old hermit's sudden aggression, but stop as Malefor holds his paw up.

"Wait..." He says with a sudden return of confidence in his voice. "...I will handle this!"

Malefor turns his head against the blade, slicing a small cut into his neck.

"Just do as the OLD hermit asked and go. I will be fine!" He continues, returning his eye forward towards the angry cheetah warrior. "I would like to talk to him alone for a minute, and find out how he plans to kill an immortal dragon!"

Monsoon just shrugs his shoulders, and opens his wings to fly. The blue dragon could really care less what Malefor does, and decided it's actually smarter for him to stay behind. The powerful water master is back up in the air with one thrust of his wings, and continues on his original path towards the city.

However, Excelcius remains for a word.

"I will come back for you, after I speak with Spyro and the Guardians..." The fire dragon remarks, looking deep into Malefor's eyes. "...and I want you to know, you should not fear returning...because I have seen the real Malefor, and he is much like my old mentor...Spyro."

Excelcius flaps his wings down, lifting off the ground, but still staring at his friend and new mentor.

"The dragon race can only suffer...if you decide to keep yourself hidden!" He quickly takes off after Monsoon, and his voice echos back to the dragon he hopes will follow.

"And the longer you take, my friend...the longer we have to wait for your knowledge!"

The large purple dragon smiles, but only for a moment.

He has Spyro to defend him in the public eye, and now all four Guardians' support, however it is still not comforting him.

They were presented one at a time, and easily convinced by the purple dragon to his true nature. But this would be confronting everyone at once, and even Spyro knew that would be a huge mistake, ordering the purple dragon to remain hidden. He knows his presence will not be well received by the entire population as a whole.

Malefor goes through the many memories from ten years ago, and the vicious assault he made upon leaving the Realm of Convexity. This generation that he returned to, and declare war upon, had suffered the most during his time as Dark Master. Loses to the dragon population were staggering, and several other species, completely wiped from Avalar's history.

"What am I doing here..." He remarks, looking over the blade against his throat, and into the eyes of the cheetah warrior. "...I almost wish you could kill me, Old Hermit!"

"I have a name!" The cheetah remarks somberly, looking into Malefor's eyes. "And if I was that same cheetah, I would grant your wish."

The purple dragon lowers his brow, with a puzzled look, as the warrior cheetah removes the blade from his throat.

"You believe you are the only one with an issue of returning to his home..." He continues, showing the purple dragon the same eyes of regret. "...My friends wanted me to come back, but I wouldn't return..."

The old hermit drops his sword, and lowers to his knees crying.

"...I just couldn't face the ones I let down."

Malefor, surprised at the flip in his new friend's emotions, places a paw upon his back, but the old hermit flicks his arm up, knocking it off.

"Don't touch me...DRAGON!" The Old Hermit barks with rage, grasping his sword again. He stands back on his feet, showing Malefor an intense pair of eyes. "It is an insult to my whole way of life that I am even standing before you!"

Malefor becomes more puzzled, sitting back on his haunches, and watching the crazy old cheetah with a bit of concern. Not for his life...he's immortal...but he can see the same look of complete despair in the old warrior's eyes.

"For years, I was trained for a single purpose...to kill one dragon!" The cheetah warrior says with anger in his words, staring at the tip of his sword. "But when I had my chance to do my duty...I hesitated, and Cynder did not!"

"What!" Malefor barks, then stares at the cheetah warrior again, with a deep look of surprise. "Wait a minute...I know who you are!"

Malefor gets to his feet, and his concern is now a little for his life.

"You're Tristan...the Dragonslayer!"

The cheetah's eyes open wide, hearing the name he spoke, and seeing the fear within his purple eyes.

"I have not been called that in some time..." Tristan replies, staring at Malefor with a contented smile. "...I miss that cheetah, and I wish he was here."

Tristan sheaths his magical sword, and walks over to the purple dragon.

Malefor, knowing full well of this warrior's skill from hunting Cynder, sits uneasy as Tristan places his paw upon his neck.

"Don't fear me Malefor...Please!" His voice solid and confident for once. "I'm no dragon slayer. I couldn't kill Cynder then, and I'm not going to kill you now, because I see the same thing I saw in her."

Tristan, places his left foot on Malefor's right forearm, and kicks himself up onto the purple dragon's neck. Malefor swallows his saliva, frozen in fear with full knowledge of the cheetah on his back.

"She was the key to the war, and I could have stopped her before it even started..." He whispers in the purple dragon's ear. "...but I saw something bright inside of that dark dragon, and it spoke to me!"

Tristan stares up at the new city, and with memories of a deadly war, the old cheetah hermit can see a different future for the dragon race.

"In hind sight, I don't think Avalar would be enjoying this peace if I had killed her." He continues, taking a deep cleansing breath. "Spyro would have never discovered his destiny, and you would still be influencing the dragons from the Realm of Convexity."

Malefor turns his head towards Tristan, showing him a puzzled expression.

"Why didn't you kill her, Tristan?" He asks with confusion, actually recalling the moment between he and his puppet. "What did you see, that you see in me!"

"Spirit!"

Tristan smiles, and kicks his hind paw into Malefor's ribs.

"Now come on you yellow-bellied coward...I promise I will stop any dragon that tries to kill you!"

Malefor turns his eyes to the city himself, and lowers his head with a deep sigh.

"What about the Cheetahs and the Manweresmalls...I don't suppose you can help me with them?"

"NO..." He replies with a smile, and continues with a great deal of sarcasm in his voice. "...I'm pretty sure they will kill you...but I swear a dragon will never lay a talon on you!"

Malefor turns his head, looking at the old cheetah, and rolls his eyes. However, giving a gentle pat to his neck, and showing a confident smile on his face, Tristan tells the purple dragon he will have a physical guard to watch his back.

"You do know this is going to be a non-stop fight?" Malefor remarks, lifting off the ground and flying toward the city once more, his head still turned to look his passenger in the eye, and see his response to this comment.

However, Tristan takes a firm grip on one of Malefor's dorsal fins, and raises up on his feet.

"I don't think so!" The old hermit replies with a shocked look in his eyes, grasping tightly to the purple dragon's back.

"I think we have a bigger problem!"

Malefor shows a puzzled expression, until a deafening boom comes from behind, hitting him with a powerful shock wave only a second later. The purple and gold dragon spins around to see a large mushroom cloud rising off to the right side of the city.

"By the Ancestor's...What was that!"

* * *

><p>Laying under a large canopy of brush, Nick is holding his left side with a shaky paw, feeling his life fading away. He looks around, from under the the umbrella of branches, camouflaging his green color from preying eyes, and sees nothing.<p>

"Blanca hurry!" The green dragon remarks, knowing he has little time remaining.

The Shadow Master left his injured friend behind, to find the only thing that could save him...ancestral power. However, he has been gone for ten minutes, and seeing the amount of apes that have gone by, Nick starts to realize his hopeless situation.

"_They killed him!"_ He says to himself, allowing his emotions to wreak havoc on an already weakened heart. Nick lowers his head, sobbing from the loss of another life, for his children.

"I killed him!"

The water dragon suddenly winces from a sharp pain, and his mind is filled with images, seeing his life play out in seconds.

However, one moment holds Nick's heart, and it replays in his head like a bad video.

"_Daddy I'm sorry!"_ Catarina's voice echoes in his head, seeing the uncontrollable tears pouring from his daughter's eyes, when he and his wife returned home.

They hurried back after the news of a powerful storm, and an accident that involved Spyro's brother, and all three of their children.

"_It was my fault...he died because of me!"_

The greenish-blue dragon can feel his heart beating with pain, as the vision of his oldest daughter, pleading for forgiveness, repeats in his mind.

"NO Catarina...it was my fault!" Nick keeps saying, wishing that he actually said that, to comfort his daughter the day after Sparx' death. However, he couldn't say a word, feeling his own guilt for leaving them alone in the city. "I never should have left my babies behind!"

"I swear if the ancestors let me..." Nick removes his paw from his left side, revealing the blood still pulsing from his wound. "...I will make sure you understand that!"

The green and blue dragon jerks with pain, replacing his paw against his side, trying to hold pressure on a vicious wound. Nick, snapped back to reality, can feel his time is almost up, knowing how bad he is hallucinating, and how weak he has become in only a few minutes. The father of three begins to weep, sensing the inevitable end.

Suddenly a noise startles him, and he quickly quiets himself, recognizing the inaudible sounds of the ape language. Just grunts and growls to a dragon, but Nick can hear it is a lot of different voices. He tries desperately to remain still, as a massive group approaches the bush Blanca laid him under.

"_Please...No!"_ The Ice dragon remarks to himself, seeing his entire family before his eyes, but mostly his guilt-filled daughter.

"_I can't leave them yet...I have to tell her!"_

Noticing the apes look in his direction, the green dragon holds a deep breath, and tries remaining perfectly still. However, taking a deep breath was a mistake, and he knows it, when the wince of pain he makes, perks the ears of the approaching mob.

With a point of the leader's long arm, and an alerting grunt from his voice, Nick knows he's been spotted. The large green and blue dragon rises from the brush, and turns to run as fast as he can, knowing he is at a severe disadvantage. His left wing, unable to move, being affected by the blade that was driven into his side, Nick is forced to remain grounded.

The Water dragon takes only a step before stumbling back to the ground, dizzy from standing up. The loss of blood to his body is more than he can handle, and Nick knows now...it is over.

"IT WAS MY FAULT!" He yells with his last breath, hoping his daughter will hear, where ever she is.

Suddenly he feels an incredible stinging sensation across his entire body, however, the green dragon is startled with what he was not expecting. He can feel the healing power of the hundreds of red and green crystal particles he can see, now covering his body.

Nick breathes a sigh of relief feeling the pain, coming from his wound subside, and the soothing regeneration of ancestral power.

"I KNOW IT'S YOUR FAULT!" Blanca yells from above, dropping another red crystal by Nick's side. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO MOVE, STUPID!"

The black dragon shoots down from the sky, and strafes the small group attacking his new friend. A stream of black fire engulfs the gorilla army, sending them directly to the shadow realm. A place devoid of air and space, and a painful death for any creature not able to control the element of darkness.

The black and gray dragon lands in the center of this strange inferno, wipes the remnants of shadow magic from his muzzle, and looks back at his friend with a smile.

"I mean come on...I just found these crystals. I would like to save a few for later, not use them getting into more fights!"

Nick watches the power of the red crystals regenerate his wound, leaving a nasty scar. And though it is not life-threatening any longer, it is still not fully healed. He stands up with a wince of pain, and smiles back to the one that saved his life.

"Sorry...I decide to breathe, Blanca..." Nick replies with further sarcasm, limping over to the black dragon. "...next time, don't go around the world for a few crystals!"

Blanca shows a bit of shock from Nick's reply, and then a fast smile. He quickly trots over to his new friend, rearing back a paw and slamming a green crystal to the ground between them.

"I found these a while ago..." The shadow dragon remarks, winking his eye at the green dragon, as they both fill with magic power.

"...I've been waiting in that tree up there!" Blanca remarks, pointing a talon up towards a massive redwood. "I just thought helpless bait was better to lure them in!"

Nick looks at his friend with anger, then takes a swat at him with his right paw. However, Blanca disappears, and the green-colored dragon falls to ground, holding his sore ribs with pain.

The Shadow dragon begins laughing, as he reappears behind him.

"I'm kidding, Nick..." Blanca continues with a snickering tone. "...I had to go miles for these things!"

"That was not funny, Assho..."

Suddenly another red crystal shatters at the blue-scaled belly of the water dragon, healing him further, and allowing the black dragon to help his friend to retake his feet easily.

"I know it's not funny..." Blanca remarks with a sudden seriousness. "...it appears the army is destroying any crystals they find, and not allowing them to regrow."

Nick gives the dark dragon showing a deep look of thought.

"They don't want us to regain our power, Blanca..." The greenish-blue dragon, remarks with seriousness. "...they are planning something big!"

The Shadow dragon nods his head.

"We must warn Spyro...NOW!"

Nick suddenly winces in pain, then lowers his head with anger and depression, feeling no control in the muscles leading to his left wing.

"You need to go without me, Blanca...I still can't fly!" He remarks, showing the Shadow dragon his pain, as he tries several times to flap his dark-blue wings.

"I will have to stand my ground here!" He says with confidence, feeling a complete return of magic, and strength.

The Shadow dragon rolls his eyes, and slaps Nick across the muzzle.

"No...You will get your ass to the city!" Blanca replies, and grasps the frozen left wing of his friend. With a good amount of force, and a great deal of pain, the black dragon bends the stiff blue wing under Nick's body.

"HEY!" Nick barks with the sudden pain, and Blanca places his paw over his mouth.

"Shut up!" He says softly in the water dragon's ear. "Or you will force us to make our last stand now!"

Nick takes a deep breath through his nostrils, showing the anguish of his wing being bent.

"You need to take the pain, you little whelpling..." The Shadow dragon remarks with sarcasm, looking into his eyes. "...and give me your other wing!"

The green dragon balks with a look of 'go f**k yourself' on his face, writhing from his left wings abuse, however seeing the genuine stare from a dragon he has found great respect for, Nick does as he's told.

He lowers his right wing under his belly to the left side.

"Now try to keep quiet..." Blanca says, removing his paw from Nick's muzzle, and grasping his other wing gently. "...I know this hurts, but you'll thank me later!"

The Shadow dragon hovers over Nick's back, pulling both wings up from the opposite side, cradling the injured one against his stomach.

The green dragon struggles in agony, but doesn't make a peep. He concentrates on his children, and what he will do if he ever sees them again. Feeling the inspiration of his daughter's smiles, and the pure joy of holding his son, Nick holds still as Blanca ties off his wings with a strong vine.

The Shadow Clan leader, slides the remaining crystals into the makeshift pouch, between Nick's stomach, and his lame wing.

"You will need these more than I, and they will help to heal that wing, so take them!"

Nick nods his head knowing he has miles to get to the city, and running will take time and energy. Plus the thousands of apes that are trying to kill him, definitely a hindrance to dragon's power.

"I wish there was a river I could use..." The Water dragon remarks, knowing how easy that could make the trip, and Blanca slaps himself on the forehead.

"There is one!" He remarks with sudden realization, of Nick's element, and a little known pipe-line that empties from the city's water treatment plant, to the ocean miles away

"That new sewer pipe they just put is not far from here!"

The green dragon pauses for a long dramatic second, staring at Blanca with the same face he showed before. He helped construct the city's sewers system, and knows exactly what flows through there.

"I'm not swimming up that pipe...you're nuts!" He remarks with a dead sternness, but the slightly larger dragon grasps Nick in his arms, and heads toward the pipe-line anyway.

"HEY..."

Blanca's paw is quickly across Nick's muzzle again, keeping him quiet.

"It's the fastest way to the city for a water dragon..." Blanca remarks, his voice now raised an octave. "...if you have any other way in mind...I'm all ears!"

Nick, thinks of anything else, but this idea, and comes up with nothing. And It didn't matter if he did, since Blanca kept his paw tightly around his muzzle.

"I thought so!"

Nick lowers his head, with depression, realizing this is actually the only way he can make it back in his condition.

The F word is muffled from the green dragon's mouth, and Blanca releases his grip on Nick's muzzle.

"I knew you'd see it my way!"

Nick turns his head and looks the black dragon in the eyes.

"I gonna get you back for this, Blanca..." He remarks, seeing the pipe-line on the horizon, and getting more and more nauseous from what his going to do. "...I will make you understand how nasty this is going to be for me...I swear!"

The Shadow dragon lands beside the pipe, placing Nick down on his feet, and turning away quickly. He cannot contain his smile seeing the reaction, on the green dragon's face, to a very bad smell.

"By the ancestors...we're still like two miles from the city...I'm gonna have to take a few breaths of this shit!" Nick remarks with anger, and Blanca finally loses control, laughing as hard as he can.

"I'll get you back for this!" the green dragon remarks lowering his head with depression.

Blanca straightens up for a moment, looking at a dragon that is quite annoyed with his element at the moment.

"Come on...it's ninety-eight percent water."

Nick pops his head up to stare Blanca down, and shows even more anger in his eyes for reminding him.

"I KNOW THAT...it's the other two percent that I want no part of." Nick replies in such a sarcastic way that Blanca starts laughing again.

"I'm so glad you find this funny, Blanca!" The green dragon remarks, placing a paw upon a small panel of the pipe, and looking back at the black dragon laughing harder. A smile fills Nick's face, as he pulls the panel open.

"Cause it looks like you're gonna get a taste of it first!"

"What?"

With his mouth wide open, Blanca is soaked in a powerful stream of ninety-eight percent water from the opened hatch, and Nick begins laughing.

"OK!" He says with a genuine smile, seeing Blanca choke out everything he swallowed. "We're even!"

Before the black dragon can get to his feet, and beat his ass for that nasty wake up call, Nick crawls into the pipe. Using his water power to force the current back, the green dragon pulls the hatch closed, and heads for the city.

Choking out a taste he cannot believe Nick left him with, Blanca stares at the pipe with anger. He opens his wings, shaking off the remnants of his disgusting shower, and continues to spit out what ever went down his throat.

"That was not funny!" The black dragon remarks, lifting off the ground and hovering up the pipeline a few hundred feet. "Let's see how you like this!"

Blanca smacks his tail against the iron pipe, sending out a powerful gong in all directions, then smiles hearing a return gong from the angry dragon directly below his feet.

"HA HA HA!" He laughs hearing Nick's inaudible voice of anger return from the pipe.

"Good luck my friend, and don't breath to much of that!" Blanca smiles, and lifts up further into the air. "You still have to kiss you wife and children with that mouth!"

Suddenly a large explosion rocks the park, and Blanca is thrown against the pipe-line from the powerful shock-wave. A large gong rings out again, and Nick becomes so enraged, he opens the next panel in the pipe.

"HEY!" He yells sticking is head out of the panel, looking around for the dragon that is messing with his head. However, seeing Blanca yards away, and down on the ground unconscious, Nick pulls himself from the pipe, and runs to his hurt friend.

"Blanca!" He yelps, and the black dragon stirs from his voice, slowly rising to his feet. "Are you OK?"

The Shadow Clan Leader shakes his head, and turns to the light he saw fill the sky.

"By the ancestors..." He remarks, turning to the green and blue dragon approaching his side. "...that explosion came from Spyro's home."

Blanca suddenly takes a whiff, and holds his nose.

"WOW! That is some powerful stench you have clinging to you already..." The black dragon remarks, stepping away from Nick. "...I was gonna to say, forget going to the city, and I'd carry you with me for help, but...WOW!"

The water dragon gives Blanca a very angered stare, and turns back to the spot he left the pipe.

"That's not me that smells like that Blanca..." Nick remarks, showing his completely dry scales. "I'm waterproof...you're not, so I would take a shower as soon as you can, or the apes will smell you from miles away!"

Blanca lifts his forearm to his nostrils, and can tell that Nick is right, the scent is coming from him.

"How the hell do I get this smell off..." He begins saying, but then is drowned in a wave of pure water. Nick focuses a torrent of his cleansing element, soaking the black dragon from head to tail.

"Well...I didn't want you to spit on me either!"

Blanca and Nick laugh for a moment, then both get very serious.

"I'll get back to city, Blanca...you go help Spyro if you can!"

Nick is fast to the pipe this time, and quickly holds nothing back, swimming against the current of this powerful flow.

However, before Blanca can even move from the ground, a dragon passes over, heading towards the city. His eyes light up seeing the purple and gold scales of the airborne dragon, and his voice rings out from the ground.

"SPYRO!"

With his name called from below, the Hero of Avalar stops, and looks down. He recognizes a dragon that he doesn't get along with very well, since the Shadow Clan has been known to break a law or two.

"Blanca?" The purple dragon remarks with curiosity, lowering to the ground and suddenly holding his nose. "What are you doing, swimming around in the city's sh..."

* * *

><p>Standing in the center of New Warfang's Main Square, a set of narrow yellow eyes, focus upon the Palace Guards surrounding him.<p>

Dark Tycor cannot help but laugh at the small amount of resistance he is receiving, knowing everyone is in the park with Spyro.

"You few are nothing against me...and if I actually wanted you to live, I would offer you the choice of surrender..." The snake-patterned brown and black dragon remarks with smugness, and his body changes shape. With a loud crackle, Tycor turns to a pure storm of plasma electricity.

"...However...I don't want your surrender..."

At the speed of light, The Dark Master strikes all eight dragons with an overwhelming surge of electricity, killing them in an instant. The power he uses is so strong, it even takes down a yellow and black dragon possessing that element.

"...I want you all dead!"

He looks over his carnage, and watches with pride, seeing the few Cheetahs and Manweresmalls, left in the city, run away with great fear.

Suddenly the sky lights up again, and the ground shakes uncontrollably beneath his feet. Tycor turns to see a great explosion come from Spyro's home, and his eyes fill with anger.

"DAMN SKYLANDERS!" He remarks, knowing full well what that explosion means, and that a few thousand of Gaul's gorilla army have just been wiped out.

Tycor, looks up towards the high tower of the palace, and suddenly smiles.

"OK, Spyro...you know I'm here!" He barks with anger, beginning his ascent to the highest point in the city.

"But I wanted this fight between you, and I, and this planet ONLY!" The evil dragon remarks to himself. "Now I will have to show you and Gaven what a real Portal Master can do!"

* * *

><p><strong>Everyone is now on the same time-line, and the battle will kick into another gear next chapter, so stay tuned<strong>


	37. Shadows and Skylanders

**Again I find myself in a weird position, posting a chapter after a tragedy...A terrible outbreak of tornados in Oklahoma. **

**I feel so bad for the people of Moore, OK. This is the same spot that was hit by the strongest wind ever recorded on Earth, 14 years ago. ****The path of this 'finger of god', crossed the same neighborhood as the one from 1999. At a staggering ****two miles wide, it left nothing recognizable in its wake. **

**I pray for those that lost the most, and praise the ones that will open their homes for those that lost everything, showing their compassion towards others in the face of such devastation, much like our favorite heroes **

* * *

><p>Chapter 37 Shadows and Skylanders<p>

"I'm going to kill him, Flash!" Nina remarks with a deep anger, held in the hind paws of her grandson. The green dragonfly's eyes locked on the huge cloud of pure carnage, destroying the mushroom village she called home for nearly three decades. Tears begin to flow from her face, and she looks to her husband, in Sparx' other paw.

"I swear...I'm gonna kill him!"

"I don't think he had a choice, honey..." The larger blue dragonfly replies, turning his head to his wife, and showing her the same depression. "...you know full well he would not destroy the place he grew up with his brother for ten years, if he had another way!"

Nina closes her eyes, and nods her head softly.

"I'm just upset at all the memories we lost..." She remarks, sobbing more uncontrollably. "...every single picture of our boys together...are gone!"

"Not really Grandma!" Sparx remarks, overhearing the conversation coming from his hind paws. "Dad had me go back to the house, while he was talking with Gaven, and I sent a bunch of things through a portal to our home!"

The two-toned purple and gold dragon smiles slightly, as a sigh of relief comes from both his hind paws, and then turns around to look at his grandparents.

"Dad was sure the village would be destroyed, and I grabbed all that I could..." Sparx returns his eyes forward, looking over the top of Catarina's head, still held tightly in his forearms. "...I just hope I did good, because I was unable to get everything!"

Nina turns to her husband, and looks at the three whelplings held firmly in his front paws.

"Don't worry Sparx..." She says with pure contentment. "...you grabbed what was important!"

Flash smiles at his wife, then returns his eyes towards his son, following behind in the distance. The blue dragonfly, suddenly becomes worried, watching Spyro drop out of the sky.

"Where is he going?" The concerned father remarks, however he is surprised by the one who answers him.

"I hope he's going to kill that black dragon we just passed over!" Catarina replies with anger in her voice.

She was looking down for her father, and noticed Blanca as they flew by, quickly recognizing the dragon that was angry with her mother and father, then turning his hatred towards her.

"Why would you say that?" Nina barks, hearing the rage in such a young girl's voice.

"He yelled at my sister!" Nicholas cuts in with anger himself, answering for the dragoness that is still holding him tightly alongside his other sister.

"He called Catarina a fool, then yelled at her for going out in the storm!"

"Be quiet Nick!" Gianna remarks to her brother, feeling Catarina begin to shake from emotion.

"No it's OK, Gianna!" Catarina replies, using her wings to tighten her grip upon her brother and sister.

"I was a fool!"

"No Catarina!" Gianna barks hearing her sister take responsibility again, however, the soft blue-green paw of Catarina covers her muzzle, and she lowers her head to her sister's ear.

"It was foolish for me to blame myself for so long!"

A smile fills Nicholas' face, and a look of shock appears on Gianna's, as her older sister releases a great deal of tension in one sentence.

"Well you're right!" Flashes voice remarks from behind. "You are not to blame, and I hope you truly understand that!"

"I think so..." Catarina says, turning her head to look at the blue dragonfly. "...but I still believe I need tell you...I'm sorry!"

Flash begins to cry, along with his wife, and he answers her with the same response that Nina was ready to give.

"You never need to apologize for that, Catarina..." He says, wiping the tears from his eyes. "...my son did what he thought was right, and we couldn't agree more with his decision..."

Flash pulls himself from Sparx' rear paw, flying as fast as he can to pass his grandson, and stares into the eyes of the young dragoness he is carrying.

"...but, if you truly feel you need to make up for that...then I will ask only that you live your life!" The teary eyed father continues, lowering against her muzzle, and hugging the young dragoness like he hugs his large purple son.

"I know Sparx would not be happy if the life he saved, was lost to depression and regret!"

Catarina stares at the large dragonfly hugging the bridge or her nose, and grips Gianna and Nicholas tighter.

"I promise...I will try!" The young dragoness begins saying, showing Flash her sincere admiration.

"_I will make you proud of his choice!"_ She continues to herself, and Gianna smiles, feeling a calmness in her sister, she hasn't felt in a year.

"SPYRO!" Nina suddenly yells, watching her son take off in the other direction with the black dragon Catarina saw.

Everyone in the flying group is startled, but none more than Sparx as Nina pulls herself from his paw, forcing him to stop his charge towards the city.

"Where is he going, with that Shadow Clan jerk!" The now angry dragonfly barks, turning her head towards her husband and grandson.

"Why is YOUR SON flying alongside that dark hoodlum!"

"MY SON!" Flash remarks, but he and Sparx are shocked further as the green and pink dragonfly suddenly takes-off towards Spyro and Blanca.

"I raised him better than that!" She scowls, however, Nina gets only a few feet before Sparx plucks her from the sky.

With a gentle but firm grasp, the young dragon cages his grandmother, against the palm of his foot, with his talons.

"I have to take you with me Grandma..." Sparx remarks to the tiny dragonfly, fighting to break free from his grip. "...I was given an ORDER!"

Nina stops wrestling, and her voice becomes sharp and agitated

"What do you mean an order?" She demands, and Sparx stops short, looking back at his father, flying away with Blanca.

"Gaven made me an honorary Skylander, and My Father just gave me my first order..." Sparx replies with a note of pride in his voice, and Nina shows a slight smile. The adoptive parents are proud of their son's heroism, and how Avalar has benefited since Spyro's involvement with the Skylanders. The planet has never experienced such technological progress, and it is because of the dragon they call their own.

"...I have to follow it Grandma!" Sparx continues, then looks at his grandmother, opening his talons to let her from his grip. His eyes show concern, but his voice remains stable and calm

"Even though I want to go help him...I will not disobey my father, ever again!"

Sparx turns towards the city, and opens his left rear paw. Nina quietly grabs his middle talon, and Sparx closes a softer grip around her, like the one he has on his grandfather. She could not be prouder of her grandson, and sees the same spirit of protection she and her husband instilled in Spyro.

"Then what are you waiting for, Sparx?" Nina remarks with a kind sarcastic tone, showing him a smile.

With great haste, the two-toned hybrid dragon, follows his father's order, getting his family behind the shelter of New Warfang's high walls, but not knowing the danger that is awaiting inside.

* * *

><p>"That just can't be!"<p>

"I'm telling you, Spyro...there are at least a million of them!" Blanca repeats to the purple dragon's reply, flying side by side with the Hero of Avalar.

"I don't believe that, Blanca..." The purple and gold dragon remarks. Spyro lowers his brow, showing the dark dragon of shadows he does not trust him.

The Hero of Avalar has had several tense moments with Blanca in the past, because of the friends he keeps, going as far as having a fight with the entire Shadow Clan itself. However, their leader only got involved physically when the purple and gold dragon started losing ground against the large group. Spyro was quick to notice, Blanca was the one to stop the fight, when he was not fairing well at the end.

He also is willing to listen for another reason, knowing his wife and children personally. They are good friends to Cynder, and helped her a lot while Spyro was away.

"...I really hope you're just trying to annoy me again."

"If you don't believe my words..." The Shadow leader remarks with anger, then places a paw on Spyro's shoulder. "...I will show you the army that's gathering to the east, so you can see it with your own eyes!"

Both suddenly disappear in a poof of black smoke.

Spyro takes a deep breath, feeling the chilling cold of the Shadow realm, but does not lose his composure like most. This is not the first time he has been in the dark realm, since Cynder has taken him into this lifeless expanse many times herself, however, it is still cold, even for the purple dragon.

"I hate this place, Blanca!" Spyro remarks with a chatter in his teeth. "You better not be messing with me, or you will not like what I'm going to do to you!"

Suddenly, the light of Avalar's suns return, shinning through the branches of the tree Blanca has perched them on, forcing Spyro to blink several times just to get his sight to refocus.

"Hey!" The purple dragon yelps, and Blanca places a paw on Spyro's mouth to quiet him. However, as his pupils disappear and the scales on his face change as black as his own, Blanca removes his paw from around Spyro's muzzle.

"Sorry I didn't mean to...but you need to be quiet!" The shadow dragon whispers sheepishly, showing an embarrassed and fearful smile, hoping Spyro doesn't pummel him for doing that.

Dark Spyro continues to stare at Blanca with his glowing white eyes, but the noise from bellow catches his attention, and he looks down.

"BY THE AN..."

Again, Blanca is fast to cover his mouth with a paw.

"Do you mind!" The black dragon whispers a little louder, and this time with anger in his voice. "I'm trying to keep us alive here!"

Blanca then notices several hundred apes looking up in their direction. He grabs Spyro tightly, and both dragons disappear into the shadows, as several dozen arrows fly harmlessly by. In a matter of seconds, Spyro and Blanca reappear high in the sky, out of range from their rudimentary weapons.

"So, Great Hero of Avalar..." Blanca remarks sarcastically, releasing Spyro to hover on his own. "...do you believe the Shadow Clan Leader now!"

The black and gold dragon turns his pupil-less eyes towards Blanca, and lowers his head. Spyro's purple color returns, and suddenly speaks to a dragon, he is not friends with, in a tone that shows how humbled he is.

"I have learned a lot this past month about those I have called...my enemy, Blanca!" He remarks, looking back at the Shadow Clan Leader with sincerity. "I may have been a bit...harsh, towards you and your friends in the past, because I never really got a chance to know this shadow dragon before me."

Spyro looks back down to the ground watching the mass of gorillas swarm from under the trees, looking up with their evil red eyes.

"I would have never noticed this army, until many of my friends were lost. Dragons that I thought you didn't care about..." The purple dragon returns his eyes to Blanca, and shows him a smile for the first time ever. "...seeing the fear...but also loyalty in your eyes at this moment, I can honestly say... I misjudged you..."

Spyro begins tapping buttons on his wrist communicator, and sarcastically finishes his statement.

"...perhaps you're not such a selfish jerk after all!"

"WHAT DID YOU..." The dark dragon barks, but he is cut off by the Portal Master's voice, echoing from Spyro's communicator.

"Report, General? Is everything alright?" Gaven remarks, and Blanca pauses his angry rant, as the purple dragon holds up his paw.

"Do you mind...I'm trying to save the world here!" Spyro remarks sarcastically, then chuckles as Blanca shows him a very callus stare, and folds his arm across his gray chest.

"I'm fine Gaven..." He replies to his commander, showing a grateful smile to the black dragon for respecting the Skylander Leader, and remaining quiet. "...That was a clean drop, and we got a good amount of his army..."

Spyro pauses, looks down, then finishes his statement with a concerned tone.

"...or so I thought!"

"What is it?" Gaven remarks, hearing his general's voice. "Did you find more?"

Spyro looks at Blanca, showing his eyes wide as saucers, and a smirk that makes the Shadow dragon chuckle himself.

"Did we ever!" He quips, and hovers beside Blanca. "A friend of mine...has found a massive gathering Gaven, probably a million or more..."

"A Million!" The Portal Master yells, not allowing his general to finish. "That is too many for even you to handle, Spyro! I'm Sorry General, but I'm overstepping your authority, and sending back-up right now!"

Spyro smiles at Blanca, knowing the Portal Master would find a way to take some control, and he gestures his brow up and down, with a dumb expression. However, he is very confident in Gaven's ability to run a war from light years away, and does not fuss about losing his full-command of the situation.

"I'm also going to level that part of the park. I see no life roaming around in that area, so get the hell out of there now!"

"Yes Sir!" The purple hero replies, grasping Blanca tightly, as another horizontal portal opens above the forest.

Spyro makes his way towards the city, flying as fast as he can, hearing the crackling energy bomb coming through the portal. However, a sudden pulse of light flashes through the sky, followed by a sound that shakes Spyro to his core.

The purple and gold hero spins around to confirm his worse fear, seeing the portal shut early, slicing the energy ball in half. It takes only seconds for the orb to loses it's stability, and explodes high above the intended target. Spyro and Blanca are thrown from the sky by a violent shock-wave, hitting the ground hard only a few hundred yards from the now frenzied mob.

Protected from the dense canopy of forest, the loses to the ape army are minimal, and Spyro can tell that right away, by the shaking of the ground under his paws.

His heart begins to pound with adrenaline, not from the approaching army, but because he is sure his Skylander friends are dead. That explosion came from only half of the bomb, and the other half, left behind in the underground station's Ordinance Room.

"Gaven...NO!" The purple dragon remarks aloud, looking at his wrist communicator, and watching the power levels from the Portal Station drop to zero.

"_My friends!" _

Spyro's scales turn jet black, and his eyes glow white-hot with rage. A deep hatred begins to boil inside, and he focuses that energy towards the charging army. Using a tremendous amount of his magic, Dark Spyro unleashes all the Convexity power he can at one time, leaving a cone shaped path of destruction, widening-out as it gets further from his mouth.

The Shadow Clan leader's eyes light up with this purple blaze of Fury, and watches in fear, as Spyro levels the back side of Dragonfly park...by himself. However, it doesn't take long for Blanca to become concerned, watching the powerful dragon empty his tank in one burst of anger. He knows something that Spyro does not, and regardless of the danger, the Shadow Clan leader grabs the angry dragon, and yells in his ear.

"STOP...Don't waste your energy!" He screams over the thunderous rumble of magic flowing from the black and gold dragon's mouth.

Spyro spins around, slamming Blanca with the back of his right paw. The pulsing black dragon, with tears pouring from his eyes, pounces on Blanca, and stares him down.

"WHY?!" Spyro yells in the terrified dragon's face, showing the real Dark side of himself. A emotional train wreck of feelings and pains, that only his mortal enemies...or his wife...has seen in the past.

"THEY KILLED MY FIENDS!"

Blanca closes his eyes humbly, and looks away from the angered dragon.

"I'm sorry, Spyro. I don't know how that must hurt, and I won't even try to tell you different. But how does that help them, or your friends here on Avalar...if you die as well?" He remarks, returning his eyes to his new friend, hoping he believes his sincerity...and he does.

Blanca begins pulling himself up, as Spyro loosens his grip, and backs off of the shadow dragon's chest.

"You can't afford to waste energy like that. There are no crystals left in the park, my friend..." He continues, while getting to his feet. "...they destroyed them all, and for some reason...the crystals will not grow back!"

Spyro's color returns to normal, and his eyes focus on the smoldering area he just leveled with a good deal of his powers. A deep pain fills his eyes, watching thousands of apes swarm into the new cleared area from the surrounding forest a mile away, making their charge to the purple dragon again, this time quicker and easier.

"Get everyone to the city!" He replies simply, looking over his shoulder towards New Warfang.

No longer seeing his family, Spyro takes a deep breath, knowing they are going to be safe. He then looks at Blanca with a cold stare.

"I will hold them here..." Spyro continues, clinching his right paw, then extending his talons out as far as he can. "...and take my revenge with my bare paws!"

Blanca shows a slight grin, hearing the true fighting spirit of the Great Hero of Avalar in person. However, it is another sound that catches the Shadow Clan Leader's attention, and he places a paw upon the posturing dragon's flank.

"We don't need to fight alone anymore!" He remarks, gesturing his head towards the sky, and Spyro looks up.

"Blanca...what are you doing?" A green and black dragon remarks, heading a group of several others to the ground beside their leader. "Why are you fighting with this purple moron again...I thought we were looking for that other idiots kids?"

They had seen the two separate releases of energy, coming from this section of the park, and quickly rallied together, knowing where Blanca had chosen to search. The Shadow Clan leader, looks back to Spyro, and his smile increase.

"Some of my friends are here to help us now!"

"HELP...HIM!" The green dragon remarks, over a the negative rumble from the other dragons behind him. "HELL NO...I'M NOT HELPING THIS WORTHLE..."

Blanca grabs his friend, and both dragons disappear in an instant. The loud mouthed green dragon is suddenly silenced, feeling himself held tightly inside the cold realm of Shadows.

"The only reason you still enjoy life, Aquas...is because of that dragon's dedication!" Blanca remarks, holding a valued clan member, and friend, by his throat...staring into his eyes with pure rage.

"If you ever disrespect Spyro like that again...I will leave you here until you understand what he has sacrificed for US!"

With a quick nod from his head, both reappear in front of Spyro, and the ever-growing group of Shadow Clan dragons.

Blanca immediately looks towards the approaching apes, noticing they have a few moments before the horde is upon them, and calmly walks over to Spyro. He can still hear the negative talk towards the purple dragon, and becomes enraged as several continue to threaten him. However, before he can lay down the law to his clan.

"Stop it everyone!" Aquas remarks, turning around to the group, and showing the fear he is still experiencing from a moment in the shadows. "We need to..."

The green and black Water dragon pauses, and looks back at Spyro before returning his eyes to his friends, and finishing his thought.

"...No! We HAVE TO help him!"

Nearly a dozen deep breaths of pure shock fill the air, hearing the words coming from this dragon's mouth.

"WHAT?" A two-toned red fire-breather snaps, stepping forward to his friend, and staring into his eyes. "He locked you up in a Skylander prison for eight months, Aquas. You said you would kill Spyro if you ever got your paws on him!"

The green dragon looks at his friend, then laughs for a moment.

"I would never have spent those eight months in prison, or the two years of my life regretting that moment..." He remarks, turning around and stepping up to Spyro himself. "...if this dragon didn't save our world."

The strong-minded Water dragon pauses again, looking down at the ground, and feeling overwhelmed with his own guilt.

"I was the idiot, Char...Not Spyro, He actually tried to help me!" He replies to his fire-breathing friend, raising his eyes to look upon the purple dragon with humility. "He did his duty, like always, and never turned his back on anyone!"

Spyro balks, and looks at Blanca, whom has an irremovable smile on his muzzle, but his attention returns to the green dragon before him, as his voice booms suddenly.

"Spyro needs the Shadow Clan's help!" The green dragon yells, making the purple hero jump slightly.

"We all be damned if we turn our backs on him now!"

In an instant, the negative becomes positive, and an every growing chant to fight for Spyro begins to rise.

"What the hell did you say to him, Blanca?" Spyro remarks to the proud leader of this group, and the Shadow dragon just winks his eye.

"Shadow Clan...This is our home, I want you to show Spyro, we will defend it with our lives!" He yelps, turning his attention to the group that is still increasing in size, as more members arrive.

"This is our time to be heroes. Leave your mark on these evil apes, and you will be remembered for all times!"

The group as one, shout in approval.

"Because of his knowledge of battles like this!" He remarks, suddenly showing a slight bit of fear, but only to the purple dragon's keen eye.

"Spyro is in command...do you understand!"

Again, as one, an approval is yelled, and all turn their eyes to the purple dragon.

"They are not the Skylanders, General Spyro!" Blanca remarks, showing him a little more concern in his eyes, but not in his words. " But they will fight like them!"

The purple and gold dragon takes a deep breath, then looks at the group standing at attention, staring at him with pure eagerness.

Spyro cannot believe the turn of events in just the last few moments, he has lost his friends, and the military advantage of overwhelming firepower. However, he can still see hope, in the eyes of all the dragons around him, ready to fight for their home.

The purple dragon looks over his shoulder, and can see the massive ape army is now only a few hundred yards, and closing fast. Enough time for him to express a deep regret.

"I miss-judged all of you, and I'll never do that again!" He remarks, looking at dragons of all elemental power, not budging an inch, as the screaming army approaches.

"Bravery is not a trait you find in the wicked!"

Spyro looks back again, and can see it is time to fight. His scales return to their black color, and his pupils disappear, as they return to the Shadow Clan.

"You are all Skylanders in my eyes!"

Spyro spins around and clears a path to work, using a powerful magical attack. Although he was told about the lack of replenishing crystals, Spyro knows the depths of his own power, and how much he can use before his magic supply runs out. He calls upon his Fury once more, but uses it in a way that does not drain his magic as fast as a feral blast from his muzzle.

Malefor had shown the Skylander general several new tricks, while they stayed at the underground Portal Station, and this is the one that was taught first. Because of its simplicity, and the ease in which to learn, Spyro was quick to understand how to perform...combination attacks, and how powerful the right mixture of magic can be.

In less than a second, the black & gold dragon rips through the charging mass of apes, cutting a wide path for everyone to follow. The pure energy of his Fury pulses out in a wake behind him, incinerating everything it comes in contact with.

Blanca and the Shadow Clan, especially the five Fire dragons in the group, are suddenly left in amazement, as Spyro shows off a new technique that no one knew was possible for the purple dragon.

"Was that a Comet Dash?" One fire dragon remarks with complete surprise, seeing the exact technique he uses in his dash attack.

"Yeah...I think so!" Char replies, staring at the leader of the startled Shadow Clan. "But what kinda fire was that, Blanca!"

The black and gray dragon smiles slightly, and turns to his friends.

"Hell's FURY!"

Blanca's green eyes begin to fluctuate with power, and he disappears in a poof of black magical mist.

"Take lessons my friends, because we are watching a Master at work!"

With a barrage of shadowy claws to lead his clan, Blanca charges ahead of his trusted army, widening the chasm Spyro created as they drive towards their new friend. Hundreds of these evil apes are sliced apart, by a dragon they cannot see, only his talons that streak through the sky.

The shadow dragon quickly moves down the line, leaving the injured to face his friends...whom quickly take full advantage. Writhing in pain from an unseen attack, the front line of this massive army, is torn to shreds by the dragons they can see.

Spyro, standing in a small clearing at the end of his dash, turns his attention down the path he just made, and smiles watching the large group of dragons work in perfect unison. A disassembling line of death; precise, calculating, and surprising intelligent. He watches in awe as they rotate in shifts, allowing fresh dragons to attack, while the tired rest for a moment.

The hero of Avalar quickly recalls his fight with the Shadow Clan, and now understands why it felt like he was fighting a hundred, and not just the twenty or so the make up this powerful group.

Suddenly Blanca reappears in front of his face, and Spyro jumps for a moment, so do the apes that were closing in slowly towards the black and gold dragon.

"Well General..." Blanca quips, showing the Skylander a smile, then turning back to watch his clan get increasingly more violent to the smaller creatures.

"...are they not a good army to fight beside!"

Spyro nods his head with approval, then snaps his tail to left, striking an ape that was trying to pounce upon him.

"Not bad!" The purple dragon replies with a slight smugness, however, he can see that look of fear again. Blanca suddenly hears one dragon yelp in great pain, and turns to see him fall to the ground.

The Shadow dragon holds his breath, and Spyro believes he now understands this leaders fear.

"They are a good group, and keep an eye out for each other..." Spyro continues, as they help their friend to his feet, and protect him as he regains his wind.

"...I promise to do the same for them!"

The Shadow Clan leader shows Spyro a deep look of gratitude, hearing such a promise from The Hero of Avalar. These dragons he leads are not just members of his powerful gang, but his second family, and he is now riddled with fear from this battle.

"Please, Spyro...I love only my family more then these few dragons, my Clan, are the only friends I have!"

The purple dragon shakes his head NO, keeping his eyes locked on Blanca.

"You have at least one friend, not in your clan..." He remarks, standing side by side with the Shadow dragon. "...and after this day...I'm sure it will be many more!"

* * *

><p>Moments earlier, in the Main Room of the underground Portal Station, the Skylanders are watching a monitor, broadcasting from Avalar's East wall. Overlooking Dragonfly Park; Gaven, Sonic, and Tails, hold their breath, seeing the mushroom cloud dissipating in the distance, waiting for any word from Spyro.<p>

"I don't like this General!" The Portal Master remarks to the blue hedgehog, tapping buttons on his control panel, then looking back at the monitor. "This just makes no sense to me at all!"

Sonic zips behind the Portal Master's chair in a blink, staring at the screen the old giant is working with. His companion, Tails, is by his side a few seconds later.

"What is it, Gaven?" He replies with a wondering tone, not fully understanding what he sees.

"We just wiped out the Dark Master's army in one blast, but yet I am still showing a massive amount of energy coming from the east side of New Warfang..."

Gaven pauses, turning to look his curious young general in the eye.

"...it is a hundred times stronger than that first army, it could be the Dark Master himself!"

Suddenly, an alert begins to sound, making Tails flinch, but putting a smile on Sonic and the Portal Master's faces. They knows the sound of an incoming call, and Gaven opens the channel to Spyro's communicator before spinning his chair around.

"Report, General! Is everything alright?" Gaven remarks, and settles down hearing the purple hero talking to someone else.

"_Do you mind...I'm trying to save the world here!"_

Spyro's sarcasm calm the Portal Master, and more so as his general finally answers him.

"I'm fine Gaven..." He replies "...That was a clean drop, and we got a good amount of his army..."

However, Spyro pauses, and Gaven's smile disappears as he hears his general's concerned tone to finish his report.

"...or so I thought!"

"What is it?" The Portal Master remarks, hearing Spyro's voice, and knowing the power levels he can see in Dragonfly Park. "Did you find more?"

"Did we ever!" The Skylander general replies, then pauses again.

Gaven looks down at Sonic, gesturing his head for him to move towards the center of the room, where the portals in this underground station will open. The blue hedgehog nods, and both he and Tails move themselves from behind the steel desk

"A friend of mine, has found a massive gathering Gaven, probably a million or more..."

"A Million!" The Portal Master yells, making Tails jump, but not Sonic. "That is too many for even you to handle, Spyro!"

Gaven's eyes lock on Sonic, and the hedgehog nods his head knowing the Portal Master is taking command.

"I'm Sorry General, but I'm overstepping your authority, and sending back-up right now!"

The Portal Master places his hand over the com device, so Spyro cannot hear, and gives his only order.

"Sonic...I'm sending you now, but don't go near that side of the park, understand!"

The blue hedgehog nods his head again, and Gaven removes his hand from the microphone

"I'm also going to level that part of the park. I see no life roaming around in that area, so get the hell out of there now!"

"Yes Sir!" The purple hero replies, as his communicator shuts down, and Gaven opens a new portal.

Twice the size as the last one, the horizontal disk of energy, floats inches above the ground in an empty room. Only a massive generator sits directly above the swirling portal, creating orbs of explosive energy to drop from the sky.

Gaven programs the machine to quadruple the energy output of the last bomb, and enters the coordinates of the portal's exit...the far-east side of Dragonfly Park.

"Master Gaven..." Sonic's voice barks out, seeing the lights dim in the station to accommodate for the power build up of this weapon. "...can you still send me to Avalar...I want to see this explosion in person!"

Gaven smirks at his friend, and begins tapping button to open a portal in the Main Room, however, as he finishes opening the transport to Avalar, an alarm suddenly blares at his desk.

A jamming signal, coming from Avalar, scares the old Master, knowing the timing could not be worse

"GO SONIC!" The Portal Master screams, seeing the portal in the Main Room flicker, and the blue hedgehog, trained for years to be responsive, is gone in half a heart beat.

Arriving in the Great Lawn, Sonic stops short, turning towards the portal. His eyes fill with the bright light of a powerful explosion, and watches in horror as his friend Tails vaporizes before exiting the station. Only a powerful blast wave comes from the circular disk, before it disappears, slamming Sonic into a tree behind him.

"By the Ancestor!" Several dragons remark, as only a few still remain in the park, after the first explosion from Spyro's home drove everyone towards the city.

They run to the aid of a well-known and respected Skylander, but are terrified by a second explosion that rocks the park with a louder blast of energy then the first.

"Sonic... Sonic!" They yell, hoping to wake him, but they watch his eyes close, and fear fills their hearts.

The sounds of grunting and growling begin to fill the air, and every dragon left in the park begins to wonder...what is happening to their world again.

* * *

><p><strong>Like the Shadow Clan, even those you find offensive, or vulgar, or just plain mean-spirited, will rise to help in the eyes of a tragedy. People you would never believe to show compassion, are now standing by your side to comfort you. <strong>

**I Dedicate this chapter to the first responders in Moore, OK, for they will see the sights we fear. Family, friends, and perfect strangers...working together...trying to find life in a place filled with death. **

**BY THE ANCESTORS...OR GOD, OR ALLAH, OR WHOM EVER...please give these people the strength to continue, and I will pray myself, that this is the last dedication I need to make.**


	38. A Great Dragon Falls

**I'm sure I will get a few comments about this chapter, and I assure you I thought long and hard about doing this.**

**However, this is a war, and some dragons are going to die...sorry!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 38: A Great Dragon Falls<p>

Standing as still as he can, staring directly above, Diamond is hoping his old frame is not shaking too much to be noticed. He has the skill to bend light, but no longer has the ability to hold his forty-three hundred year old body perfectly motionless. Slight distortions of movement can easily be seen by his protegé, however, the dragon above does not.

The Dark Master has his interest elsewhere.

After witnessing the explosion in Dragonfly Park, Dark Tycor took little time in dispatching any further resistance, and flying up to the top of the highest tower. His eyes never noticing the two dragons, cloaked from his view as he zipped by in a hurry.

However, Diamond is now stuck underneath the hovering Dark Master, unable to get away. If he moves, the distortion of Light magic will be seen, and he would be easily spotted.

Suddenly, standing in one place for so long the old dragon falters, and his right leg gives out. His talon scratches the concrete surface of the balcony, upon the tallest tower of the palace, and his heart stop as Tycor starts looking down.

In an instant his vision goes dark, and a cold chill shoots down his spine.

"_Hold still, Master!"_ Cynder's voice echoes, as she leaps from the balcony towards the shaded side of the palace. Staying covered by the shadow the tallest tower is giving, Cynder weaves her way to an adjacent balcony. Stopping in a dark portion, and turning quickly to see if she was noticed.

With the complete destruction of Diamond's personal perch, the Shadow Dragoness knows she was spotted.

"I know you're here my little shadow puppet!" He remarks, confirming Cynder's suspicion, hearing a name she was called as a whelpling.

"It's just a matter of finding which shadow you are hiding in!"

Cynder holds Diamond close to her chest, still within the confined darkness of the Shadow realm, feeling the old dragon shake with the cold temperature.

"_Hang on a little longer, Diamond..." _ She whispers to his mind, watching Dark Tycor search the areas of shadow for her. _"I will try to keep you warm, but don't move this time!"_

Cynder huffs a fiery breath of her shadow powers, warming the scales of the white dragon in her grasp, doing it only when Tycor is not looking. For several tense moments, Cynder holds her master perfectly still, keeping him calm in a very inhospitable place.

Suddenly Tycor's attention is taken by something he can see from the east, and Cynder notices it's her chance to run. However, she is frozen by the power suddenly pulsing from the Dark Master.

"Oh no you don't!" The evil dragon remarks, seeing a portal open up off in the distance. "I will not make it that easy for you Spyro!"

Dark Tycor waits for the right moment, seeing the large orb begin exiting the hole in the sky, before opening his mouth and sending out a surge of powerful magic.

Cynder, unable to see what he did, can only hear and feel the explosion that shakes the city, from miles away.

"What was that!" She remarks quietly, but Tycor suddenly turns his head towards her direction. His eyes lock on Cynder's shadow, and a smile crosses his face.

"There you are my dear..." He remarks, and Cynder takes a deep breath "...I think I'll take my time with you, and have a little fun first, then I..."

With a huge exhale from her lungs, the shadow dragoness, blasts the monologist Dark Master with a hurricane force gust. Dark Tycor's black wings fill with the wind, jostling him back violently, and Cynder leaps from the balcony again.

"Hang on tight Diamond!" She remarks, griping him under his arms, and locking her paws together around his chest. This time she reappears, allowing the speedy dragoness to use all her power to fly as fast as possible.

The large brown and black dragon balks at the carelessness to show herself, and quickly gives chase. However, he immediately understands why she made this move, as Cynder leaves him in the dust.

The dark dragoness is light as the shadows, fast as the wind, and much more maneuverable. Only Diamond was the x-factor, but she found out her son wasn't kidding when he said the old dragon was light as a feather.

Smartly, she heads straight for the narrow streets of the city below. Cynder knows full well, that just like Malefor, Tycor is large and clumsy. He is no match for a sleek flying dragoness that won several races against the fastest Avalar has to offer, even Hunter.

Cynder and Diamond pick up speed towards the city, and both dragons can hear a build up of power from behind. The dark dragoness barrel-rolls twice, avoiding several fire balls shot at her from the chasing Dark Master.

"Holy Shit!" Diamond barks with fear, covering his eyes, as Cynder zips through the exploding balls that smash upon the fast approaching ground.

Cynder banks hard after going through the fire, using the flames to shield the Dark Master from her route of escape. She roars into an alleyway that barely fits herself, let alone carrying someone, and not slowing down while doing it. The nimble dragoness has been chased many times in the past, and knows exactly how to get someone off her tail.

Diamond's old heart races faster then when Sparx gave him a ride, as Cynder is much faster, and turns harder, frightening him with every corner she takes. Her near recklessness, is only countered by her skill at avoidance.

Several more balls of fire streak past Diamond's ear, and Cynder banks an unrealistic left turn. He can feel his tail clip a wind chime hanging from a awning, as she makes the impossible maneuver, then spins her body giving a burst of intense speed. Knowing how close they just came to hitting a solid building, if Diamond wasn't white, he would have turned that color by now.

"Sorry, Master!" She remarks calmly, while moving through another tight alley at ridiculous speeds.

"I thought your son got his crazy thrill side from Spyrooooooooo..." The old dragon remarks as Cynder banks another turn, this time to the right, making sure her path is not easy to follow.

"...I WAS WRONG!"

The dark purple, and red dragoness, continues her evasion, however, Cynder suddenly stops, hearing a terrifying noise from above. Her eyes focus up, and Diamond can feel her fear build in an instant. The Dark Master has quickly given up the chase, and decides to blanket the entire area with a net of electricity.

"I have no time to play hide and seek with you!" Dark Tycor's voice rumbles from high above, firing a massive plasma ball from his mouth.

The orb of pure electric power strikes the roof of the building Cynder is standing adjacent from, sending hundreds of lightning bolts to the surrounding area. Both dragons are incapacitated by the surge of power that rains down from the sky.

"Now let me see you run after that!" He remarks, knowing he has hit his target with this massive attack. However, a glimmer of movement takes his eyes towards the east gate again, and Dark Tycor quickly drops down to the roof line, out of sight from a fast approaching dragon.

"He's coming here..." He says to himself with excitement "...and without his father!"

The Dark Master looks down several roads and alleys with a quick eye, and gives up his search for Cynder just as fast.

"I found what I'm looking for my old puppet..." He remarks, looking up towards the palace's high towers. "...but now I need to keep him here, so I will have to deal with you later!"

Leaping across the roofs, staying out of the sky, Tycor heads for the far side of the palace. He stays out of sight, until getting around the large castle, finally using his wings to gain height and speed. The brown dragon stays concealed behind the large structure, so not to alert Sparx to his presence.

Tycor reaches the top of the tallest tower in seconds, staring down at the large wall protecting the east side of the city, and smiles as the young son of Spyro and Cynder enters New Warfang.

"Thank you for making this easy!" He remarks, opening his mouth and preparing another special magic power, one he learned from an extinct race of underwater creatures.

A small orb of light fills his muzzle, and Tycor removes it gently with his paw, placing atop the spire of the tallest tower. The ball of energy, resembling a brilliant but massive-sized pearl, suddenly pulses with energy, and the Dark Master smiles.

A thunderous noise of crumbling rock and glass fills the air, as a force-field of energy cuts the city in half encircling the east side, and the upper levels, where the palace sits. Used by a serpent-like civilization, this energy helped to keep the structure of their liquid world together. Strong enough to hold the incredibly dense weight of water, the Dark Master knows it is also strong enough to keep a young purple dragon inside...and his father out.

* * *

><p>After cresting the wall as fast as he could, without dropping his precious cargo, Sparx lands in the Eastern Square of New Warfang. His action are rushed, and his heart is pounding, after seeing the explosion that filled the sky, and knowing that was not how it should have gone.<p>

He places Catarina down, who quickly releases her brother and sister, and turns around to grab the young dragon.

"Don't go, Sparx!" She yelps, hearing him talking about returning to help his father. "Please...stay here with us...I'm afraid!"

The young son of Spyro, after releasing his grandparents as well, looks them in the eye.

"I have to." He replies, and Nina and Flash nod their heads. Sparx grasps Catarina by the shoulders, and stares deep into her eyes.

"That's my Dad out there, and he's in trouble. I know you would do the same, because you did it once before!"

Being nearly the same height, the young dragons stare each other face to face.

"You are smarter than you were a year ago, and much stronger than you think, Catarina!" Sparx continues, smiling wide to calm her.

"You have nothing to fear at all!"

"Yes I do!" She replies sternly, placing a paw against the side of his face. "I'm afraid that you will get hurt."

Sparx blushes from her words, and the caring look in her eyes. He has never really meet a dragoness his age, and suddenly feels a weird connection with her.

"It's OK Catarina!" He remarks sheepishly, grasping her paw, and slowly removing it from his jaw. He uses his other paw to clasp her palm tightly. "I promise...I will be careful!"

Suddenly the ground shakes and sounds of crumbling rock and destruction fill the air. Everyone's eyes open wide, as a field of energy slams down around the city, vaporizing everything down to the bedrock.

A voice then echoes from above, startling them all to turn around.

"WELL MY YOUNG FRIEND!" Tycor barks hovering above the Eastern Square. "I BELIEVE IT'S TIME FOR OUR REMATCH!"

Nicholas begins to shutter, running back to his sister's arms, and staring at the worried two-toned purple dragon.

"Can we be afraid NOW!"

* * *

><p>High in the mountains, that protect New Warfang's southeast boarder, two dragons are finally finishing their search of a vast network of caves. A mothers desperation to find her three children, ending only in disappointment and more fear.<p>

"Where could they be, Terrador?" The distraught red and orange dragoness remarks, covering every foot of this maze of caves. "I don't know where else Catarina would hide with her brother and sister!"

This last year has been so hard on her and Nick, that the young mother can no longer control her emotions. The fire dragoness falls to the ground on her stomach, looking back from where they came, positive she was going to find them here. Catarina has been coming to these caves for the last year, because it was the one place she could be alone. The young dragoness would become overwhelmed with depression and try to hide from the world. The Earth Guardian watches in pain, as she begins to cry uncontrollably.

"It's OK Sienna...I'm sure Nick has found them by now." His gruff voice echoes against the cave walls, and the red dragoness can feel her body lifted with a strong embrace. She looks into the solid eyes of the guardian leader, and can see his pure resolve.

"I promise, I will help Catarina to understand as well..." He says, recalling the powerful conversation with Sienna, while looking for a child she was sure, ran away again.

"...and this time I think I can get someone else to help with that!"

"Who?" Sienna asks with a tone of defiance in her voice, knowing how much she has done to help her daughter to deal with this tragedy.

"I tried to get her to speak with Spyro and his parents, but she kept running away!" Sienna continues, answering her own question before Terrador could open his mouth. The now emotional mother stomps her feet, and shows the Earth Guardian an angry scowl.

"I'm her mother...don't you think I would have tried that already"

Terrador clamps his paw around the red dragon's muzzle stopping her rant, and finally giving his answer.

"If you would let me speak my dear...I would have told you that I have a more...influential friend!" He remarks, showing Sienna a peaceful smile, and quickly she halts her aggression.

Terrador releases her mouth, and this time with a tone of sincere curiosity in her voice, the young mother asks again.

"Who?"

Terrador's smile increases, and only one word escapes his mouth.

"Diamond!"

Sienna's heart skips a beat, and her eyes open wide with shock.

"The Great Elder!" Her voice echoes, and suddenly a overwhelming weight is lifted from her heart, hearing that name spoken.

"How!" She barks with surprise, knowing the waiting list to speak with the Great Elder is years long. "My husband and I have been trying to see him, but it's almost impossible to get an audience with the Spirit Dragon!"

Terrador cups his paw under Sienna's jaw, and lifts her head up high.

"I think I can arrange something..." He remarks, but suddenly the cave rumbles, startling both dragons as the ceiling begins to collapse. Terrador quickly grasps Sienna in his arms, running towards an area that is still stable, shielding the fire dragon from a crushing death. His body, designed to deal with earth, does not feel the effects of the jagged rocks slamming his back.

"Was that an earthquake?" Sienna barks with fear, held under the protection of the massive Earth dragon.

"No!" His reply comes fast and with a great amount of curiosity, as he looks at the minimal damage around him.

"If that was an earthquake...we would be dead!"

Terrador keeps Sienna in his arms, seeing the cave has become very unstable, and heads for the exit shielding her from the falling rocks.

"That was an explosion of some sorts..." The Earth Dragon continues, feeling the shallow vibrations in the ground, and not deep ones from a shifting tectonic plate. "...and it was very powerful."

It takes extra time for the Earth Guardian to emerge from the caves, as more collapses have blocked the quickest route, however, Terrador still escapes the dangerous area in a minute.

As they clear the cave, both dragons' eyes lock on the dissipating mushroom cloud in the distance, and their ears echo with the sounds of screaming from the Great Lawn below.

"By the Ancestors!" Terrador remarks, feeling his heart lower into his stomach, seeing this new war has already begun. "What is going on here!"

Suddenly another explosion lights the sky, filling Terrador's eyes with fear. The sounds of more screaming from below strikes at the heart of the Guardian Leader.

Still held in the Earth Master's solid paws, Sienna can feel his grip get tighter.

"Terrador...Please!" She remarks with pain, and he eases his grip, hearing the sharp tone in her voice.

"Sorry!" He remarks, releasing her, then opening his wings.

"Stay here, Sienna..." He remarks, readying to find out what is going on.

Suddenly another sound echoes in the Earth Guardian's ear, and he stops, jerking his head up to see. It is the sound of wings flapping hard in the air, and his eyes fill with excitement, noticing two very powerful dragons fly over, and head towards the danger.

"Monsoon...Excelcius!" He remarks, and his eyes open wider, knowing whom they were guarding in Spyro's home.

The Earth Guardian begins to chuckle, knowing this is a great time for Malefor to make his presence known.

His ears perk up again, hearing another rustling from behind, and much louder than the previous two dragons that just flew by.

"This is going to be very interesting!" He remarks, and Sienna turns around to face the Earth Guardian, a complete look of puzzlement on her face.

"Why are you laughing?" She asks with surprise, and Terrador turns his head around to look up again.

However shock fills his eyes, not seeing the large purple dragon he was expecting, but instead, a slew of arrows coming at them.

Terrador slams Sienna to the ground on her back, covering the young dragoness from the incoming barrage of steel tipped projectiles. He then surrounds themselves in a solid ball of rock. The arrows bounce harmlessly from the stone surface, however, Terrador knows he cannot hold this shield around them forever.

Sienna, a powerful Fire Dragon, is unable to breathe inside the stone, and quickly begins to suffocate from the lack of oxygen her startled body craves.

Terrador can feel her begin to struggle, and quickly drops his magic shield for only a second, allowing her to take a breath. However, Sienna can tell how bad his choice was, as he suddenly yelps in pain, and collapses upon her chest. A dozen arrows strike the stone master in that one moment, dropping him atop the red and orange dragoness. Sienna's arms, legs, and wings are pinned under his heavy frame.

Terrador's eyes open, showing his great pain, and he stares at the Fire dragoness with complete despair. He tries to stand, allowing her to run away, but the powerful Earth Dragon can feel the life fading fast from his body, and is unable to move.

"I...I...I'mmmm...sor...sorrry!"

His voice drops with his last breath, and Sienna can feel the rest of his dead weight press again her chest.

"TERRADOR!" She screams, but the green dragon makes no movements, and suddenly Sienna can feel the pain her daughter must have felt.

A Guardian has fallen, sacrificing himself for her. However, with the sound of approaching footsteps, she is sure that no one will ever know about it.

Several ape-like creature round the large body of Terrador, holding Sienna firmly to the ground, and quickly lower their bows, seeing she is helpless to escape.

"Hey everyone..." A large ape growls, kicking the dragoness in the jaw, slamming her head to face nearly a dozen others, all with smiles on their faces.

"...lets find out how long a dragon can take a beating!"

Sienna can barely take in a breath of shock, before being struck across the face again. Her left eye swells quickly, and the red and orange dragoness squeals in pain. Her right eye notices another incoming attack, and she is unable to do a thing before it slams her jaw back the other way.

In desperation, the powerful fire dragon, opens her broken jaw, and releases every bit of magic she can. A stream of intense flame scorches several apes, and they leap back holding their faces in pain. Sienna keeps pumping a blue-colored blow-torch-like flame from her mouth, trying to hold back her enemies, while freeing herself from under Terrador.

However, Sienna cannot keep them all back, and one brazen monkey grasps her muzzle, shutting down the fiery torrent. The vicious ape slams a purple gem against her neck, tying it tightly with his belt, and Sienna can feel her magic drain painfully into the evil crystal. He pulls his knife from the sheath, holding it directly in front of her only open eye.

Her exposed reddish-brown eye wells up with tears, knowing her remaining life will be filled with agony, and the large ape slams her head back down to the ground. He places the blade of his knife, under the gem, and against her throat.

"You dragons have lived your last day on Avalar!" The ape warrior grunts, lifting Terrador's head by his horn, and holding it up for her to see. "...Like your Guardian here...you and all of your kind...will die!"

"Not Likely!" A very distorted voice bellows from behind, and before the ape can turn his head, it is cut clean from his shoulders.

The remaining group look up to see what just attacked their leader, but all they can see is a distortion of light, and a sword...floating in the air.

"You apes are not a worthy race." His voice starts becoming familiar, as the Light magic he is using begins to fade, revealing their old Master. An old cheetah warrior sits upon his back, holding the sword still red with blood.

"That is why the Dark Master let you all die then...and why I will now...enjoy killing you all myself!"

"MALEFOR!" They all bark in unison, and Sienna cannot believe her ears.

Blind by tears, and a swollen left eye, Sienna doesn't see anything but a purple and gold mass. She believed that Spyro had come to save her life, but hearing that name, actually frightens her further. However, she watches the group of apes back away, as Malefor gets closer, and her eye can see it is him.

"Stay away...from me...you... you..." Her voice exhausted, comes to a stop, and Sienna's head falls limply

Malefor gently places his paw against her broken muzzle, and grasps the purple gem attached to her neck. It burns his palm slightly, but he rips it from her throat, and tosses the draining crystal over a ledge.

"Easy young lady!" He remarks feeling her squirm to get free, and sends a pulse of regenerating power into her jaw. "I am here to help you!"

Sienna suddenly feels a moment of surprise, hearing a gentle tone from a dragon she has only known to be evil. The red and orange dragoness calms herself, not from her pain subsiding, but because she can see a look in the purple eyes of Malefor. A look of caring, a look of sincerity...a look that only comes from a parent to their young.

"Who are you?" She asks sheepishly.

"He is the real Malefor, my dear!" Tristan remarks, never taking his eyes from the apes, still gathered upon the cliff edge. "A dragon who's heart is only dwarfed by his regret!"

Sienna can see a tear form in Malefor's eye, and she stops shuttering completely, allowing him to heal her fast. Her swollen left eye opens, and her jaw and neck are soothed by a strong magic.

Malefor then reaches his paw under Terrador, feeling his neck for any pulse.

"Well?" Tristan remarks, but Malefor just lowers his head, and shakes it slowly to the right and left.

"You Bastards!" The old cheetah remarks, holding his sword with an aggressive stance.

"NO, Tristan!" Malefor barks, lifting the lifeless guardian in his arms. "Help her up, and into the cave for me..."

His pupils disappear as he turns his head towards the dozen or so that slayed the Earth Guardian.

"...I will handle them...personally!"

With Terrador lifted from her, Tristan helps Sienna to her feet, and into the cave she just came from. Her eyes locked on the two dragon, not believing what has happened in the last minutes.

The Guardian leader is dead, and The Dark Master is making sure his body is treated with respect.

She watches Malefor, place the large dragon down gently, kneeling in prayer, and holding a paw to the Earth Dragon's still chest.

"May you find your way to the Great Ancestors..." He remarks softly to the sky, and tears up with a solid request to his someone else he knows is looking down.

"...help him to find his way Aerial, for he belongs with you, and the great dragons of our past"

Sienna cannot stop the tears pouring from her eyes, and the emotion she now feels for a dragon she had hoped was burning in hell...and he was. But now, she can almost feel the spirit of Malefor, as he once again bows in respect to a fallen Guardian.

"Your vengeance will come swift my friend!" He remarks with an honorable tone, and turns his head toward the group, still trapped on this high ledge.

"VERY SWIFT!"

* * *

><p>As the ground shakes, from the new wall placed down hard upon Warfang, Cynder wakes-up, still reeling from the stunning effects of a strong shock, and feeling the helplessness of her predicament. Unable to move, she can only wait for the Dark Master to find her and Diamond, ending the life she was just starting to enjoy.<p>

"C...C...Cyn..der!" Diamond whispers, and she slowly inches her head along the ground, trying to look for the Great Elder, finding him only a foot away. Crumpled into a tight ball of constricted muscles, his voice is weak and filled with pain, as he begs for any sign of life from his student.

"Where...r... r... r...are... you?"

Cynder immediately begins to cry, seeing him staring right at her, and knowing the old dragon is now completely blind. His eyes are scarred with burns, and his white scales are gray and fading. She reaches with all of her strength to grasp the elder's paw.

"I'm here Diamond...I'm here!"

Her heart then sinks further, as he repeats his call.

"Please, Cynder...where are you?" He cries, not feeling the touch of her paw, nor hearing the words from her mouth.

"I'm Scared..." He continues, and Cynder squeezes his paw tightly, but still he fells nothing. Tears pour from his eyes, believing she is gone, and knows he is soon to follow.

"...please...tell me...you're ALIVE!"

Seeing the old dragon in such pain, hurts Cynder herself, but it's the fear... fear that she has never witnessed from this dragon before, that triggers something inside her soul.

Cynder can suddenly see the damage to her Master, and his swirling aura, slowing as fast as his heart beat. The dark dragoness' green eyes disappear with a flash, then return, a shade of light purple. The new lining of her scales pulse with power, and completely envelop her dark purple body in a glow of pure white.

Cynder can see the energy of everything around her, pulsing with the life that fills it. From small insects that show a powerful aura, swirling around on a path they've chosen...to the brick wall standing strong before her. It is cold as ice, but still showing life, and Cynder can see pride in the stone, holding firm, and fulfilling its intended purpose.

Another pulse of energy strikes Cynder, and suddenly she feels her intended purpose. With an overwhelming urge, that is uncontrollable, she stands up on her feet easily, and moves closer to Diamond. Cynder lays her still crimson red chest down atop of him, and holds the Great Elder tightly in her arms.

With a shot of energy, he normal feeds to others in pain, the Spirit Dragoness makes Diamond feel her presence.

"_You will not die today, Master..."_ She remarks to the old dragon's mind, and Diamond jerks his head up, finally feeling her touch. Cynder wraps her now white and red wings around his entire body, and lifts him off the ground.

"_...our Spirits...are too strong!"_

Fully realizing herself in a moment of clarity, the newest Spirit dragon heals the Great Elder with a minute fraction of her untapped power. Not caring about who sees this power either, Cynder fills the street with a bright glow of energy, and Diamond yelps with a surge of power that quickly soothes his injuries. See lays the old albino back to the ground, and he quickly shades his healed eyes from her blinding aura.

"By the Ancestors!" Is all he can say, and Cynder smiles at him. A deeper feeling of satisfaction fills his heart, seeing a look of pure confidence on her face.

"Cynder...are you..."

"I'm fine!" She remarks bluntly, answering his question before he finishes, then answering another that he was just getting ready to ask.

"And the Dark Master is gone!"

"How did you..."

"We have a bigger problem, Diamond..." She remarks, cutting him off again, and staring towards the east side of the city.

Still not fully understand how she doing this, but doing it nonetheless, Cynder focuses her new eyes to the east. Through the many buildings obscuring her view, the White and Red Dragoness can see the powerful aura of her son.

"...Sparx is in the city...and he's not alone!"

* * *

><p><strong>For all you Terrador fans...What can I say, but...I'm sorry. Just think of how all those Sparx the Dragonfly fans felt...I killed him in the first chapter.<strong>

**Anyway, I hope you'll still enjoy this story, and hope you don't mind a few other characters dying off, because...it happens in war. **

**However, I think Cynder is going to keep that number lower than the Dark Master would like. **


	39. Pinned-down

Chapter 39: Pinned-down

On the far east side of Dragonfly Park, an overwhelmingly outnumbered Shadow Clan, is actually having their way with the massive ape army. Helped by the Great Hero of Avalar, this already fierce group is nearly unstoppable now. However, with the fading of their magic, and no crystals to replenish, Spyro is noticing he is using more of his strength to compensate.

"Everyone gather to me!" The purple dragon barks, feeling a sinking sensation in his stomach. They have fought for ten minutes straight, killing hundreds of thousands of these evil creatures, and it seems like their task is still far from complete. However, Spyro has felt it for a few moments now, and with a slight sputter of his magic, he is sure it is time to end this fight.

The leader of this group, has been spotted twice by his purple eyes, but Gaul has not yet shown himself in battle. The purple dragon knows the ape general is the key, and with his lowering supply of magic...he must draw him out now.

Spyro looks at the Shadow Clan gathering beside him, and smiles. He can see how exhausted they are, but still willing to fight.

"You guys need to fall back..." Spyro remarks, then turns his head towards the encroaching mob, releasing a huge plume of flame. "...I am down to my reserves, and can't keep this up!"

Spyro turns to the mob again, releasing an icy breath this time, freezing the front line, and forcing the rest to back off further.

"I must end this fight now..." He remarks looking dead into Blanca's eyes. "...but I can't do that if I'm worried about your friends!"

"We're here to fight, Spyro!" Several voices bark from behind, and from the rest of the group, follows a resounding.

"YEAH!"

Spyro smiles again, and looks at everyone standing proud behind their leader.

"I've watched you all fight, and everyone here has fought with honor..." He says with pride, but then his voice becomes stern, and his pupils disappear with a flash of power. "..but you will die pointlessly if you stay behind, and there is no honor in that!"

Blanca suddenly notices they are surrounded again, and places a paw on Spyro's arm.

"That all well and good, but we will have to fight to get out of here anyway!" He replies to the purple dragon's request. "We will need to stay together to survive!"

Spyro continues to smile at Blanca, and shows no concern as thousands of gorillas encircle the Shadow Clan. He knows one power that will help them out of this predicament, without use of his elemental magic. It was in the battle with Gaul, where the young purple dragon used this power amply, and has not used it again in over a decade.

"_Time is not to be used for your own personal advantage, Spyro! _He hears several times frozen in crystal, a warning from The Chronicler in his dreams. Just after the Eternal Night, his voice echoed many times in Spyro's ears, as he slept with Cynder and Sparx in the Well of Souls.

"_Do not use this power again...unless it is while helping others!"_

"Make sure everyone is together, and touching!" Spyro orders, getting closer to the group of dragons huddled together. He waits as the ape army surrounding them begins to move in closer, acting as if he is now out of magic as well. Spyro turns his head to Blanca, and winks his left eye.

"You think the shadow realm is cool, Blanca!" Spyro asks nonchalantly, as every dragon in his clan, including himself, becomes nervous. However, the purple dragon places his paw upon the gray chest of the shadow warrior, and a confident smile fills his muzzle .

"Watch this!" The purple dragon gives one fast glance at the group, making sure contact is made between all twenty or so dragons in the Clan.

"STOP!"

With a sudden bark of his voice, the entire Shadow Clan is pulled into Spyro's fast-moving realm of Time. All eyes focus with wonder, seeing the group before them become almost perfectly motionless.

Spyro releases his grip on Blanca's chest, and gestures his head towards the city.

"Go Blanca...you only have a few moments..." He remarks sternly "...clear a path back to the city...I will stay here and make sure you...and your family, get away clean!"

"But Spyro..."

"No buts Blanca..." He remarks, looking back to the forest. "...I cannot use my full power, with everyone here!"

Blanca pauses for a moment to beg his case once more, but Spyro becomes angry very fast.

"GO NOW..." He yells, startling the powerful dragon "...YOU HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE!"

Blanca gently nods his head, hearing the truth in his words, but his eyes still show anger. He turns to his friends, showing them a simple gesture of his eyes, and they all turn towards the city.

"I will bring help, Spyro..." Blanca's voice barks, as he and his crew quickly slaughter a path through the motionless army, making sure they kill as many as they can on the way out.

"...I will come back myself with a sword and shield if I have too!"

Spyro chuckles for a second, hearing a dragon speak of fighting like a Cheetah, but honors the thought of his determination. Much like his own, he can hear a fighting spirit in the Shadow Dragon. The same spirit that keeps Spyro standing put himself.

He could run, like the rest, but the purple dragon knows he is close to the source of this army's power, and taking down their general would stop them cold. The powerful hero saw his ruby-red eye flash several times with anger during the fight, and Spyro knows that Gaul is just waiting for his moment to strike.

Sensing his Time Shift is almost over, Spyro leaps into the air, hovering above the motionless ape army. They suddenly spring to life, but stop short with confusion. All twenty dragons they were encroaching upon have disappeared, and with them, a quarter of their own numbers.

"GAUL!" Spyro yells, startling the entire mob to look up at a very angry dragon. "It's time you stop hiding from me..."

His purple eyes scan the surrounding trees, looking for a flash of red, which comes instantly after Spyro's next taunt

"...I'm right here you coward...come and fight me yourself!"

Drawing both of his enormous swords, the massive gorilla general leaps from a large tree, to an open area where Spyro can easily see him.

"You dare challenge me to a fight, as weak as you are!" The angry ape barks with rage.

"I'm not as weak as you think, Gaul..." Spyro remarks, looking down at the large gorilla, and showing a slight smile. "...in fact...I'm pretty sure I have enough left to take you all down, by myself!"

"REALLY!" The large ape begins to laugh hysterically, and turns to his army, growling one order to them in a different tongue. "Let the whelpling land!"

Understanding the language he speaks, every ape begins to back away from the descending dragon, opening a wide area from them to fight.

"They will not interfere, Spyro..." He remarks, slamming his blades together, and crouching down into a stalking posture. "...and this time...it will be I, that blasts YOU to oblivion!"

Gaul flicks his swords forward, sending a large orb of energy at the mid-sized dragon, and Spyro rolls along the ground out of its way with ease. He has seen this attack before, and still knows Gaul's fighting skills from nearly ten years ago. However, Gaul taps his swords, as the ball of energy passes the purple dragon, causing it to explode near its intended target anyway.

Spyro is thrown violently into the mob of apes, not suspecting such power from the easy attack he thought he dodged. Many begin striking him, the moment he enters the crowd, laying damage that is overwhelming to the already exhausted dragon. However, Spyro is startled, by the sudden death of these apes around him, struck by the sword that leads them.

"I SAID HE'S MINE!" The Large General yells at his army, forcing them to back away further, seeing the pure rage in his only working eye.

Spyro suddenly has a deep realization of how badly he misjudged Gaul's power. He was sure, because of the other apes in his army, that Gaul was only as powerful as when they first fought, but this is not the case, and he can tell quickly as the large ape viciously lifts him by the back of his neck. He tosses Spyro like a rag doll into the center of the fighting ring, and stares his army down.

"You are only to watch... " He remarks with anger, then leaps towards the grounded purple dragon. "...as I teach this whelpling about PAIN!"

The large ape barrels at Spyro once more, and the purple dragon is quick to his feet, ready to fight. He dodges the feral kick that Gaul delivers, and fires a projectile of Ice at his back. But the ape warrior has the where-with-all to twist his sword behind, stopping the sharp icy arrow cold.

Gaul lands on his right foot, pivoting in one move and heading back towards Spyro. The purple dragon can see how severely he has underestimated the large ape now, witnessing precise movements from the once clumsy gorilla, and matched with a power that is ten times stronger. Spyro uses his last bit of magic, and solidifies his body to absorb a tremendous impact.

Gaul notices the purple dragon change color, but it does not effect his attack. With all of his might, he strikes the stone dragon with a vicious punch.

Even solid as granite, Spyro can feel the force of a fast-moving and powerful punch, sending him back a few feet from the impact. His body lifted up, and reeling in pain, is meet with a very fast and more powerful kick.

Spyro, much heavier in his solid Earth form, is still thrown across the ground like a tumble-weed. The stone in his body begins to crack, filling the young hero with great pain, and forcing him to return to his normal state.

The purple dragon shakes his head trying to recover his senses, however, before he can move again, Gaul's knee comes down across his back. Spyro yelps, feeling several bones break from the force.

In the same movement, Gaul slams down the blades of his swords, driving them into the membrane of both of Spyro's wings.

An even more intense yelp of pain comes from Spyro's mouth, but quickly he is silenced, as Gaul wraps his hand around the purple hero's muzzle.

"Shut up, little whelpling!" He barks in his ear, slamming Spyro's jaw down to the ground, and pressing hard on the bridge of his nose to keep him there.

"You have yet to feel pain!"

The large general looks over to his ape army, and grumbles several times, ordering a few to walk over to his captured prize. They quickly tie Spyro down by his legs, arms, and horns, keeping the purple dragon's gold stomach pinned-down.

After being put into submission, Gaul removes his knee from Spyro's back, and the ape general reaches into his satchel, removing two small purple crystals. Over the pain in his back and wings, Spyro can suddenly feel the little remaining energy he had, forcefully pulled from his body.

Gaul places one purple gem on Spyro's back, and the young dragon squirms as the crystal begins burning his scales. He screams in pain, as his wings rip from his jostling, and Gaul viciously slams the second evil stone into his mouth.

Spyro's eyes open wide, as the large ape shuts his muzzle once more, slamming it down on the hard surface again. The purple gem shatters inside his mouth, and the agony becomes even more unimaginable, but Spyro is not even allowed to yelp. Several more apes join in the wrangling of his body to the ground, and they draped several leather straps across the front of his nose, securing his mouth firmly shut.

Tears pour from his eyes, and deep breaths are forced into the now restricted paths of his nostrils, as Spyro is consumed with pain from his burning mouth and back.

However, it is his wings that are causing him the most discomfort, as Gaul's swords are slowly tearing his nerve-filled membranes.

"Well now Spyro..." He remarks, as his army backs away from their completed task. "...are you sure you can take us all down...Alone!"

Gaul slowly paces around the secured dragon, staring into his purple eyes as they follow his movements. The large ape lowers to a knee before the purple dragon, placing his hand down on Spyro's muzzle, and clenching his hand with his now intense strength.

Spyro can feel the crystal's broken pieces forced into his cheek and jaw, as Gaul tightens his grip, and the ape general laughs, seeing more pain fill the purple dragon's eyes.

"That's quite painful, I'm sure..." Gaul taunts, then stands up on his feet, staring down at Spyro.

"...but not as much as having your body broken into a thousand pieces!"

Gaul rears back his right leg, and kicks the front of Spyro's nose as hard as he can, breaking the purple dragon's jaw in several places. He squirms the little amount the restraints allow, but stops quickly, feeling his wings cut further.

Regardless of the pain in his nose, Spyro cannot focus at all from the agony his wings are giving him, and tries to hold as motionless as possible.

"You used a power I was trying to give my Master..." Gaul begins ranting, walking to Spyro's right side, and looking at the two swords he used to fight the purple dragon during the Eternal Night, now holding him in place with great pain.

"...and not only did you use that power to destroy ME..." He pauses to stare into Spyro's agony-filled eyes.

"...but that energy allowed you to also defeat my Master."

Gaul laces his right foot into Spyro's ribs, and the force he uses, jostles the purple dragon several inches.

Spyro screams through the restraint, as his membrane is sheared completely from the bone.

However, with the membrane of his wing cut completely, Gaul's sword is no longer holding it in place. He tries desperately to move it, but The large ape is quick to place his foot down on the center knuckle. He forces it down, snapping the soft bone like a twig, sending Spyro into a new threshold of pain.

"He blamed me for your victory!" Gaul remarks, lowering down to the agonizing dragon's ear, adding more weight to the foot planted on his wing. Spyro's eyes, filled with tears, and struggling to stay open, turn hard to the right to see Gaul's arrogant smirk.

"I believe you understand now..." He remarks, twisting his foot, and grinding Spyro's wing further into the ground.

"...just how painful that was to me!"

* * *

><p>The noise he can hear in his mind, is faint and disturbing. He knows he his dreaming, yet is unable to stop the turmoil of his worst nightmare. Filled with pain, the brave Skylander general replays the last moment he saw, and hearing a best friend call his name for the last time. Staring back into the portal he walked from, his eyes focus upon the small two tailed fox that has followed him for over a decade, and watches as Tails dies over and over again.<p>

"SONIC!" A different voice screams in his ear, and the blue hedgehog is startled out of his forced slumber, opening his eyes to see a very slender dragoness before him. She is armored from horn to tail, but it's her blood-shot eyes that show the blue hedgehog a new threat.

"Are you alright?" The yellow and orange-chested dragon remarks, seeing his eyes now focusing upon her.

"What is happening?" Sonic replies, jumping to his feet, as his senses fill with the fight going on around him.

"We're being attacked is what..." Ampere, head of the Palace Guard, replies with anger, turning to see a group of her dragons huddled in the center of the great lawn. "...and we don't even know by whom!"

Using countless elemental defenses, the dragons under her command, try to stop a barrage of arrows and heavy stone projectiles, from slamming the populated lawn, still filled with families. However, they have not seen their aggressors, only the sounds of a massive army hidden in the forest to the east. Sonic's attention becomes sharp, and the thoughts of his best friend's death are put to the side, hearing a call for help.

With binocular vision, that would make a hawk blush, Sonic quickly looks deep into the dense forest. Because of his incredible speed, Sonic's eyes are actually stronger than Diamond's. Able to see for miles, his tunnel vision allows the hedgehog to plot his course, while never needing to slow down. He turns his attention towards the east, getting a clear look at the attacking ape army.

"I can see your problem..." he remarks, focusing his eyes on a slew of gorillas and the siege weapons they have brought with them.

"...You have a serious monkey infestation!"

"NO!" She remarks angrily, making Sonic turn his attention back to her. "Our main problem is we are pinned-down, and running out of magic. The ancestral crystals are not growing where they should, and we can't keep this up much longer."

Sonic suddenly recalls how Spyro would mention never feeling fully recharged, because he would get only a few crystals at the portal station. Never able to return to Avalar for his first four year tour, The purple dragon fought many times with just his strength.

Sonic never quite understood this thirst for a gemstone, even though he keeps thousands of gold rings to protect his life...but seeing the power usage from the palace dragons is weak at best, Sonic doesn't need to understand. He has seen Spyro fight while weak from a lack of magic power before, and it was a battle they almost lost...together.

"Where can I find these crystals, if not in the park?" Sonic asks, and Ampere just shows him a weird expression.

"Why?" She replies with a question, then gives the reason for here inquiry.

"I know how fast you are, General..." She pauses, staring at the hedgehog that's only one-fifth her size. "...but even you cannot keep going back and forth with just a single crystal every time!"

"I can carry more than one crystal..." Sonic remarks, pulling a small gold ring from a special pouch on his belt. It suddenly expands to its full size, over a hundred times larger.

"...there are thousands of these gold rings in my pouch..." He continues, holding the ring near his side, and Ampere watches with surprise, as the gold band shrinks down and enters the pouch.

"...I can carry gems, crystals, or even diamonds if necessary...sooooo..." His eyes focus strong into the electric dragon's brown eyes. "...Where do I go!"

Ampere is startled for a moment, but being a fierce warrior, and strong leader, she quickly points towards the mountains to the south.

"There are caves up there..." She says fast, and turns to head back to the battle. "...No one goes up there, Sonic...and I'm sure you will find a few..." She runs off and her voice trails with the speed in which she leaves, but the blue hedgehog can still hear her desperation.

"...PLEASE...hurry!"

Sonic's eyes focus towards the mountains, but he is suddenly shocked by what he sees. None of the Palace Guards, even if they were looking, could see what he eyes lock upon, and a deep look of concern fills the hedgehog's expression.

Three large dragons sit perched on a high cliff, their arms folded in prayer, bowing to another dragon that is down. Seeing the green color of the one dragon that is not moving, Sonic feels a knot fill his stomach. In the blink of an eye, he is across the Great Lawn, and up the side of the mountain,

"Terrador!" Sonic remarks somberly, staring at a good friend of the Skylanders, and a dragon he has come to know well. The former Dark Master, and two other dragons, whom had turned around after hearing Malefor's vengeful attack, are startled by his sudden appearance.

"Sonic the Hedgehog!" Excelcius remarks with pure shock, pushed back an inch from the shock-wave of air the incoming speedster brought in his wake.

"When did you get here?" He continues, showing a smile and relief in his eyes, knowing a portion of Spyro's plan included help from the powerful Skylanders.

"Where is everyone else?"

Sonic lowers his head, looking towards the lifeless Earth Guardian, and several tears fall from his eyes to the ground.

"They're dead!" His voice is soft and broken, but everyone hears him, and freeze solid with shock.

"They're all...dead!" Sonic continues, tuning his eyes to the purple and gold dragon. "I'm the only one that got out!"

"By the Ancestors...Sonic! That can't be! " He remarks, but the hedgehog's eyes cannot hide such pain.

Malefor loses his footing, knowing how many were inside the underground station. For almost a month, he stayed at the portal station with Spyro and his family, making friends with anyone that would listen. Malefor lowers to his large gold stomach, picturing the countless faces that have been erased by the Dark Master again, and his blood begins to boil. The large dragon embraces the spiky blue hedgehog, also realizing Tails was one of those left behind.

"I'm so sorry Sonic!"

Malefor snaps his head over to look at Monsoon and Excelcius, showing them pure rage and his willingness to use it. Both dragons nod their heads understanding what he has asked without words.

"What do you need us to do General?" The large purple dragon remarks, waiting for an order.

Standing in the mouth of the cave, Sienna cannot believe the emotion she is witnessing from Malefor. She watches him listen to the Skylander General, as if he has been under his command before, intently listening to the much smaller hedgehog, and knowing without a doubt, Sonic is in control. Only one thought crosses her mind, and she expresses it out loud to an old wise cheetah warrior.

"He is not the Dark Master anymore..." The orange and red fire dragon remarks, showing Tristan her burnt sienna eyes, and the reason for her name.

"...he's more like Spyro, than anything!"

"No...he is a better dragon then Spyro!" The old hermit replies without pause, and Sienna looks at him with shock and anger.

"What do you mean?" She asks with a deep scowl, staring at the gray-haired cheetah like he's nuts.

"SPYRO IS A FAR BETTER DRAGON THAN MALEFOR!"

Tristan smiles as the three dragons and one hedgehog, turn their heads after her outburst. Malefor has a deep look of concern, hearing his name called out, but a sudden relaxation overwhelms him, as a wise old cheetah answers Sienna's question.

"Spyro fights for a world that loves and adores him..." He remarks loud enough for all to hear, never taking his eyes from the former Dark Master. "...whereas Malefor is willing to die, for a world that undoubtedly hates him, and will only try to kill him, if he shows his face!"

Tristan pauses, then turns his eyes to Sienna, whom is now showing a different look, one of complete surprise.

"You tell me...Who's the better dragon?"

Sienna remains speechless, not having a rational answer, for what was a very sane statement from the wild-eyed cheetah. In fact, no one speaks for a moment, and Tristan smiles feeling like his wise old self again.

"Now...do we sit here all day, and feel bad for ourselves?" He continues, trying to fire up this powerful group that has had its wind removed by a two terrible tragedies.

Tristan removes his sword from its sheath, spinning it around with skills that startles the group, holding steady before everyone's eyes.

"...I'm ready to avenge Terrador, and the many lives that bastard has taken from this world!"

A slight smile fills Monsoon's muzzle, and a resounding grunt burps from his muzzle, for he has been ready to show his vengeance for a decade.

Excelcius nods his head as well, then looks toward Malefor.

"Are you ready to show yourself to the world!" The fire dragon remarks with a slight note of sarcasm, looking down at his palace guards, trying to defend the helpless families in the Great Lawn.

"I believe my friends would allow the devil himself to help right now!"

Malefor shows the chuckling red dragon an stunned look, then stares down at the great lawn, showing his nerves again.

"The devil, maybe..." Malefor mumbles softly, returning his fear-filled eyes to his new student. "...but I doubt the Dark Master will be accepted!"

Still watching from the cave's mouth, a young dragoness: powerful, intelligent, and most of all, a citizen of New Warfang, has made up her mind.

"_This is not the same dragon I remember."_

Sienna places a soft paw upon her left eye, feeling no effects from the beating she took only a moment ago, and remembering Malefor's healing touch. Her mind races with the emotions he has shown in her presence, and every one of those emotions, as pure as her own. This feeling in her heart is disturbing, for she only wished to despise him, but hearing such depression in his voice, Sienna allow her feelings to be heard.

"You are no devil, and you are also NOT the Dark Master!" Sienna remarks, striding from the cave with her chest out proudly

"I will stand beside you, and protect you...even from my friends if necessary!"

Malefor's eyes well up with tears, and so do Monsoon's. The large Water Master, agreeing with her assessment, strides over to the former Dark Master. The voiceless dragon expresses his feelings with just a simple grip of Malefor's shoulder, an accepting nod of his head, and a pure smile.

"Thank You!" He remarks to him, then turns to Sienna, once more overwhelmed with emotion. "Thank You both!"

"See you will be accepted, so come on already!" Tristan remarks, filled with the excited energy to fight. "Time to show the rest of the world, who Malefor is!"

"And you dragons better get going..." Sonic remarks, turning his eyes to the cave. "...their leader told me they are running out of magic!"

Malefor eyes open wide, and his wings spread out ready to fly, however, Excelcius leaps of the ledge in an instant. The purple dragon turns to his new student, but is shocked seeing only his tail, as he has already left to help an important dragoness.

Monsoon, gestures his head, as if to say "hurry", then follows behind the fast-moving fire dragon.

"Let's go Tristan!" Malefor remarks, laying out his right paw for the old hermit to get on his back.

Tristan shows the purple dragon a big smile, and leaps upon on his forearm, pausing to look him in the eye on the way to his back.

"Do me favor though! Stay invisible until we're down there...and I get off!" The old hermit remarks using his sarcastic voice, and Malefor starts rolling his eyes, even before Tristan finishes.

"I don't want to be killed by friendly fire!" Tristan laughs, hoisting himself onto Malefor's lower neck and back. "Or should I say...Unfriendly fire!"

"That's not very funny!" The purple dragon remarks, as the old hermit continues to heckle his new friend with sarcasm. However, the purple dragon knows Tristan will die trying to defend him if anything happens.

The large dragon then looks at Sonic, and shows him a smile.

"Do you need a lift down, or..."

"NO!" Sonic remarks, holing up his gloved hand, and turning back to the cave again. "I have to find some crystals for the palace guards...I told that dragoness I would bring back enough for everyone!"

Malefor, with a new-found confidence, begins to laugh, and Sonic shows him the same angered stare he gave Ampere moments before.

"I CAN CARRY MORE THAN ONE!"

The purple dragon balks at Sonic's sudden aggression, then shows him a smile once more.

"You don't need to waste time finding crystals..." Malefor thrusts his wings down, lifting off the ground. "...I know how to make them!"

Sonic's eyes then fill with awe, as this powerful purple dragon does something else he never heard Spyro talk of. In fact, even his powerful eyes have trouble seeing Malefor do it. The large dragon bends the Light around his body, practically disappearing from view. Only his slightly distorted voice, and the movements of his wings can be seen or heard.

"Now lets see how fast you really are, Sonic!"

Meanwhile, back down in the valley, the sounds of children screaming and parents crying fill the ears of a defeated Palace Guard. Her first full mission as commander, will end with the loss of many innocent civilians.

"I wish you were here Excelcius!" She remarks, thinking of her former leader and boyfriend.

"I just don't have your strength!"

Suddenly a boulder comes up from out of the tree line, and Ampere can see the path of this rock will be deadly. A large family of Manweresmalls, are gathered in the shadow of this massive projectile.

The yellow and orange dragon uses the last of her magic to fire an intense bolt of lightning, however it is not enough to shatter the large rock. Ampere then uses to only thing left in her arsenal, and leaps into the air. She flies straight at the falling rock, ready to use her body to smash it off course. The young dragoness knows this type of impact will most likely kill her, but nonetheless, Ampere increases speed, making sure she hits it hard enough to deflect it off path.

Suddenly, she can feel the air get warm, and her ears pop with the building air pressure. Her eyes fill with fire, and the rock just a few yards from her, is disintegrate by an intense blast. Ampere, turns her head to the right, the direction in which this life-saving fireball came, and her eyes light up with hope...and love.

"EXCELCIUS!" She yelps, as he heads directly towards her, opening his wings to hover by her side.

"Can't leave you alone for a day, can I!" He remarks with a jovial tone and huge smile, and Ampere grabs the red dragon tightly in her arms.

"Where did you come from?" Her voice smothered into his chest, holding her personal fire guardian, still not believing how she's alive. Her eyes focus up at his and they show the joy of her embrace, glistening with tears, and filled with the relief to see her unharmed.

"A very interesting meeting..." The Fire dragon replies to her question, pulling Ampere's mostly yellow muzzle against his chest again, and cradling it with his lowered jaw.

"...with a very powerful, and humble dragon!"

Suddenly, Excelcius' eyes are drawn away, as a fast distortion of bent light zips by, followed by a blue streak, heading down to the center of the Great Lawn. Ampere begins to turn her head, to see what has his attention, but Excelcius, grasps her muzzle, and returns his eyes to her.

"Do not be worried, my love!" He remarks to the yellow and orange dragoness. "I promise...he will not hurt you!"

Ampere, still held tightly by her boyfriend's grip, turns her eyes to see the distortion of light in the center of the families she was protecting. A shield of electric energy than surrounds the entire area, blocking the next wave of income arrows and projectiles.

Ampere can feel the power build from the center of the large open area, and her heart begins to race with excitement. Help has arrived to protect the helpless...

"_Why would I need to worry!"_ She thinks to herself.

Suddenly, the distortion of light that landed in the center of the lawn, begins to show its true color.

At first, the purple and gold that starts to fill in this distortion, gives Ampere a pulse of pure elation, believing Spyro himself has saved the day. However, as his size and shape comes into focus, the yellow dragoness holds her breath...quickly recognizing him.

"MALEFOR!"

* * *

><p>In an underground room below the city, a nasty smelling pool of water, begins to ripple with constant air bubbles. Suddenly, a green and blue dragon rises from the surface.<p>

"ARGHHHH!" Nick yells, spitting out what ever it was that just went down his throat.

"THAT IS WAY MORE THEN TWO PERCENT!" His voice barks with anger, pulling himself from the smaller collecting pool in the sewage plant itself. The green and blue dragon shakes violently, clearing his body of all the nastiness that clung to his scales. Then Nick's eyes open wide, realizing his huge mistake. He can see the enormous reservoir of fresh water he wanted...was not to the right side.

"Idiot...you were swinging against the current..." Nick slaps his forehead, staring at the continual flow of pristine fresh-water, diluting the main sewage line before heading to sea.

"...you needed to go left!"

Inhaling more like twenty percent, Nick quickly leaps into the other pool of water, cleansing his mouth and lungs (yuck) of an unimaginable taste.

Suddenly the water dragon can feel a strong rumble under the surface, and is startled as sun-light begins shining into a securely enclosed room.

"What the!" He barks rising from under the water, and seeing the entire side of the treatment plant sheared to the ground. Nick's eyes reflect the energy of a powerful force field, only ten feet from slamming him to the reservoir's floor as well.

With a cat's curiosity, the blue-winged green dragon swims towards this barrier, looking through the removed wall, and into the city. His eyes light up with a sight he never thought he'd see.

"By The Ancestors!" He yelps with excitement, seeing his children standing with the young son of Spyro.

"CATARINA...GIANNA...NICHOLAS!" He yells, but they don't even flinch from his words, and the green dragon becomes annoyed, realizing the barrier is also keeping his voice trapped inside.

Suddenly, his eyes fill with fear as a large brown and black dragon approaches, and his heart stops dead, as this large beast postures into an attack position.

"NOOO!" His voice screams out, as Tycor releases a huge blast of fire from his muzzle, slamming down upon the young purple dragon...and his children.

Nick's eyes flash with anger and rage, and he tries to go through this barrier standing before him. However, the moment his green paws touches the powerful shield, the Water dragon is stunned with an overload of energy.

The green and blue dragon is thrown back from the shock, but that doesn't stop him. Nick tries again, to pass through this invisible wall, using a move direct tactic, flying full force into the wall.

As his body is thrown back again, Nick begins to panic. There is no door to exit from, because that side of the room is gone, and now this impenetrable wall sits before him.

"_I'm stuck here!"_ He thinks to himself, staring out into the Eastern Square once more, and watching as Sparx herds his kids towards the safety of the Palace. His heart racing with every attack that this evil dragon fires at his children and the young son of Spyro.

Suddenly, an explosion lights up the ground before the group of running dragons, and Nick watches helplessly as his oldest daughter tumbles from an impact.

Sparx stops short, seeing Catarina fall, and covers her exposed frame with his left wing. He places Nicholas and Gianna under his other wing, and solidifies his body. Tycor continues to attack, and buries all four whelplings in an avalanche of earth from his muzzle.

Nick's eyes flash again, this time with uncontrollable power. The Water dragon leaps into the fresh water pool, using his elemental strengths to attain the fastest speed he can reach in a short distance. He swims under the surface, using his arms, legs, tail, and wings to increase his speed further. With no regard for himself, Nick uses his full speed to ram the shield as hard as he can.

Pretty sure that he is only wasting time and energy, the green dragon hits this barrier under the surface, however, Nick's body pierces straight through the powerful shield. His eyes return to normal, and he looks back at the shield he passed through quite easily, not really understanding how. However, he does not wonder about it for long, focusing his eyes back to the snake-patterned dragon, that just landed near his kids.

Nick begins to snarl, and steam billows from his nostrils with the intense rage he is feeling.

No longer pinned-down, an angry father runs as fast as he can towards his children, not caring about the powerful dragon standing in his way.


	40. Malefor's redemption

Chapter 40: Malefor's Redemption

His eyes are sharp and filled with anger, staring out the window towards a new dwarf star. The sounds of yelling engineers and pulsing bursts of electricity fill his ears, and Gaven's aggravation begins to build further. Suddenly, a loud crackle of energy echoes in the Main Room, and the lights go once more.

"DAMN IT!" The Portal Master remarks, turning to his crew, their faces lit up by in blue light from the dwarf star.

"Why is this new station already falling apart?"

The tall elf-like man limps from the window, feeling the sting of surgery on his repaired leg, an injury he received during an emergency transport.

"You told me this Station would be fully operational in three weeks, Jasper!" He yells in the face of his most trusted engineer.

Human-like in his features, the tall man is still only half Gaven's size. However, Jasper never blinks as The Portal Master rips him apart with anger-filled slurs and four letter words.

"You can't even get the damn lights to come on?"

The stone faced engineer shows a slight smirk, as his best friend makes a final comment that is more of an insult to his abilities as an engineer.

"Maybe because someone..." Jasper replies, first with his head down, then looking up into Gaven's eyes. "...and I'm not gonna mention names here...But someone...decided to amp this station's power supply to transport one hundred and fifty-seven people, when I told him it can only handle limited usage!"

Gaven smirks himself, hearing the sarcastic tones of his head engineer, and calms down knowing the smartest person on the station, is not really phased by this crisis.

"Now, Gaven...I'm blaming you for not telling that person about this station's limited capacity..." He continues with a very smug tone, looking back at the power supply in the Main Room, still fizzling with sparks, but then he returns his eyes to the old master.

"However, he did save everyone's life, so I guess I should buy him a beer!"

Gaven smiles, and places his large hand on Jasper's shoulder

"However, I also hope he will understand that I need to push my deadline back a month!"

The Portal Master's smile disappears, and Jasper's returns.

"A MONTH!" Gaven barks, but before he can start ranting, Jasper's barks right back.

"YOU WRECKED THE DAMN PLACE, GAVEN..." His voice is solid, and the taller Portal Master backs off from the much shorter man. "...and I won't even mention the underground station...which is a TOTAL loss!"

Jasper lowers his head knowing another six months of his life will be spent rebuilding another station, however, it takes only a moment for him to settle.

"You sent a surge of power through this station, that is was not ready to handle..." He remarks with a more calm, but still angered demeanor, then looks up at the broken chandelier "...it's the reason your portal opened up there, and not on the floor..."

Gaven rubs his leg, feeling the pain from smacking the light fixture, before falling another thirty feet to the steel floor.

"...I don't even know how you managed to pull that off so fast, but what every you did...fried everything!" The engineer remarks, squinting his eyes as the blue star's light shines through one of the large windows. He suddenly takes a deep breath, realizing as the sun orbits around the station, that time is not standing still.

"I WILL get it done, Gaven..." Jasper remarks, looking up at his friend with confidence in his abilities "...and I will personally make sure that everything meets your approval...in three weeks."

Several gasps are heard from the other engineers in the Main Room, as their boss guarantees the impossible, also knowing they will be working day and night for three weeks.

"I'm sorry Jasper...I didn't have a choice" The old master remarks, looking at the now depressed crew, trying to get the power running in the Main Room. "I know this will take months to fix, and I don't want you to kill yourself trying to do the impossible."

Gaven, turns to look at his desk, and a depression fills his heart. All the screens that he normally watches his FAMILY from, are completely powerless, and not knowing what is happening with two of his best, is beginning to get to the old master.

Sonic and Spyro are not just Generals in his beloved Skylanders...They are his sons.

"Jasper..." The Portal Master, with a tear in his eye, looks down at another one of his sons, begging with his voice and expression for any hope.

"...how long will it take to get a portal open?"

The engineer lowers his head, hearing the impossible asked. However, knowing that Sonic, Spyro, and the Dragon Realms are all in trouble, Jasper takes a calming breath and thinks.

"Two hours!" He replies, and several tools are dropped by the remaining engineers in the room.

"You're crazy!" Can be heard mumbled by Eliot, another engineer and one of Jasper's friends, but he shrugs him off.

"It will require overloading the back-up generator, and sending all of that power directly to the portal platform itself." Jasper pauses, looks at his friend's even further shocked expression, then turns his eyes back to Gaven.

"We will also need to shut everything off...including life-support and gravity..." Jasper pauses again to calculate a few numbers, and Eliot stares at him like he has three heads

"...with all that said, we can open a singular portal for...maybe ten seconds!"

"Like I said...you're crazy!" The other engineer remarks louder, walking over to Jasper and the Portal Master after hearing this plan.

"After ten seconds goes by, and the back-up generator is fried like the main, we run out of air and die ourselves!"

Gaven's eyes open wide, hearing this plan is crazy, and looks down at Jasper with inquiring eyes.

"No, Eliot...we will have plenty of power for life-support..." The head engineer remarks, showing his friend a very arrogant grin. "...as long as you can deploy the solar panels."

Jasper's friend's eyes open wide, showing that he is now working numbers, but he shakes his head after a few seconds of thought.

"That will take three to four hours to extend them manually!" He remarks, feeling slightly disappointed for killing a feasible plan.

"There is enough oxygen in the station to last an hour!" Jasper commands, looking at his good friend with a confident stare.

"...so you better do it in THREE!"

Eliot gives his superior a very uneasy gaze, but nods his head after the head engineer gives his orders.

"OK Jasper...we'll get it done!" He replies, then instructs the other engineers in the room to follow him, and the able-bodied group heads for the door.

"I know you will, Eliot! I know all of you will...I've yet to be let down by my crew!" The head engineer remarks, forcing his friend to smile on his way out, and giving a boost of confidence to the head engineering crew, before departing.

However, as he picks up his own tools to leave himself, Jasper turns to Gaven, showing another very sarcastic grin.

"I hope we have a few spare oxygen tanks lying around...because I don't think they can extend those things in under three hours by themselves..." He says, making the Portal Master a bit nervous. Jasper stops at the door, looking back to the old giant, and sending a very obvious hint.

"...Maybe some extra hands can help to ensure their success!" He remarks, looking down the hall to the left towards a briefing-room filled with several Skylanders.

Waiting for the moment Spyro was to call upon them, a hand-picked group of the best Gaven has to offer, now sit, mending injuries from an emergency transport.

"Many hands make light work, Master Gaven!" Jasper says, then turns to the right, and leaves toward the engineering section of the newly constructed station.

"But keep a few guys fresh..." He remarks, as the doors slowly shut. "...they will be leaving in TWO hours!"

Gaven smiles as Jasper leaves, and knows help will be on the way to his best Skylanders, and not just any help. The Portal Master has called in a few big guns himself, and his eyes open wide, remembering one in particular.

"Many hands...Not exactly Jasper!" Gaven says to himself, walking from the Main Room, towards the other side of the station, a specially constructed area for Skylanders their size.

"Only one set of hands will be needed!"

* * *

><p>In the center of the Great Lawn, arrows bounce from a shield of electric energy, surrounding all the families still stuck inside the park. However, their eyes are not focused on the incredible shield that is keeping them safe, but the purple dragon that is fueling this half-dome shaped energy field.<p>

With a constant flow of power from his muzzle, Malefor holds am impenetrable wall to stop the Dark Master's army from killing any more innocent beings. He can quickly hear gasps of fear and panic, along with anger-filled slurs of rage and hatred. The entire crowd begin throwing the broken pieces of rock that have slammed the Great Lawn for the last few minutes. Everyone showing disdain for the one they believe is responsible, hitting him from head to tail with the small stones...but Malefor continues to hold this shield firm.

With Monsoon, Sonic, and Excelcius dealing with this attack, Tristan is left alone to guard a dragon, that no one is happy to see. He thought he would have at least a little help, but Ampere, still not truly believing the words from her love, turns her back on Malefor. The old cheetah is quickly wrestled to the ground as the Palace Guard is reluctant to step in.

Malefor lowers his head, feeling a more aggressive assault, and becomes angry as Tristan is quickly restrained by several other cheetahs. However, he does not stop holding up this protective barrier.

Suddenly a huge stone is flung by a very large blue dragon, and Malefor can tell it will hit him flush. He can also see another barrage of arrows incoming, and his heart fills with fear knowing his magic will be disrupted by the sudden impact. Even as powerful as he is, Malefor is sure a few arrows will get through.

"_Why did I do this?"_ He says, trying his best to brace for a solid impact, hoping he can hold up to a very difficult test of his abilities, and mental strength.

Malefor locks his muscles tightly, sends an extra pulse of magic into his shield, and waits to be knocked from his feet.

Suddenly a loud pop fills his ears, and a shower of small pebbles pepper the old dragon's side. Malefor opens his eyes with shock seeing the rock is gone, and only the remnants of a small fire-ball.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Sienna barks from above, startling everyone to looks towards the rear of this massive half-dome energy field.

The orange and red dragoness, unable to keep up with Malefor and Sonic's speed, finally lands after flying around the massive shield the purple dragon quickly placed over the population in the Great Lawn.

"He's trying to help us!" Sienna remarks, then pauses to catch her breath. The young dragoness takes just a single deep inhale, before continuing. "Why are you trying to kill the one protecting you?"

"BECAUSE, IT'S A TRICK!" One angry cheetah remarks, grasping an arrow stuck in the ground, drawing it back in his bow, and firing it Malefor. He knows the arrows are poison tipped, feeling the pain of venom in his leg, after being struck himself. It does not effect this cheetah much more than making him tired, however, this poison is deadly to a dragon.

Sienna, seeing this arrow incoming, steps directly into its path.

Malefor's pupils disappear in the a blink, as the Fire dragoness moves to protect HIM.

"STOP!" The large purple dragon barks, and the world comes to a screeching halt.

Malefor grasps Sienna in his arms, pulling her from the path, and she awakes in his time frame.

"What the!" The startled dragoness barks with surprise, seeing the world in a different way, frozen solid like ice, but still warm with life.

"Why would you do that?" Malefor asks, not understanding the reason she would protect him. Sienna turns her head to look him face to face. She takes a second, still reeling from the sudden shock of the world around her, but then her eyes focus strong, and her words come stronger.

"Because, you saved my life!"

Sienna turns her body around, and grasps Malefor by the shoulders. Her eyes show the purple dragon resolve in her choice, and a slight smile fills her face

"But that is not the only reason..." She continues "...you are a hero, like Spyro and Cynder, and I would gladly sacrifice myself, to save either of them!"

"I am No Hero!" Malefor returns quickly, gently grabbing Sienna's paw with his own, and lowering his head.

The fire dragoness can feel time returning to normal, as her paw is pulled from his shoulder, so she digs her talons into his scales, and pulls herself back into his time frame.

"YOU ARE A HERO!" She barks in his face, and Malefor can feel her rage over the pain in his arm. Her burnt Sienna eyes begin to tear up, and she closes them with the painful memory of her attack. After a moment to catch her emotion, she looks back up at Malefor, and her voice becomes very soft.

"You're MY hero."

Sienna eases her grip, but keeps that paw locked on Malefor's shoulder, making sure her point is heard before returning to her own time. The tears built up in her eyes fall to the ground, thinking of the family that almost lost her.

"...and you are a hero to my children, because you saved their mother from certain death!" Her voice echoes in the frozen world, along with the pounding of her heart. Sienna then turns to look at everyone in the park, showing anger on their frozen faces, anger towards the dragon protecting them.

"Soon...you will be a hero to everyone."

Malefor slowly smiles, and nods his head.

"I hope your right, Sienna...but for now, do me a favor, and don't ever do that again!" The large purple dragon remarks, grasping the incoming arrow, frozen in midair. He places the tip down into the ground, ending that arrow's threat, and stares into the Burnt Sienna eyes of a new friend.

"I am immortal...and a poison arrow is not going to kill me!"

Sienna's eyes open wide, hearing how pointless her sacrifice would have been, then nervously laughs at the large purple dragon.

"OH...That's nice!"

Malefor smiles, then gently places his paw on the Fire dragon's flank.

"There is one other thing Sienna, if you don't mind..." He remarks, gesturing his muzzle behind her. "...Can you help Tristan. I don't want him to hurt himself!"

Sienna chuckles seeing the old hermit, frozen in time, trying to fight with his hands tied behind his back. His eyes full of determination, but his body not allowing him to do much as several cheetah warriors have restrained him to the ground.

"I will...but you must promise to do me a favor!" She remarks softly, then begins to remove her paw from his shoulder. Feeling time begin to return to normal, Sienna locks eyes with Malefor.

"Don't give up!"

Watching her frame freeze solid in time, Malefor just focuses on the confident stare in her eyes, and the smile on her muzzle.

"I won't!" He replies to her frozen from, and turns back to the business at hand.

Seeing the electric shield still holding, but fading faster as time moves in super slow motion, Malefor opens his mouth to continue his actual purpose in life...protect all life on Avalar, the world he ruled so long ago. However, before he restarts time, the former King of Warfang realizes this is the opportune time to do what he initial came down here for. Malefor decides to make a cluster of magic green gems now, before losing this time advantage.

Having to focus a solid beam of energy for ten to fifteen seconds straight would prove impossible in real-time. The constant attention to his shield, and the attacks he knows he will still receive from the ones he's protecting, weigh heavy on his mind.

Malefor watches as his shield of energy dissipates, even frozen in time, lightning moves fast enough to be seen. Several arrows begin to pass through, towards the Great Lawn, and Malefor takes a deep breath.

"_I hope I remember how to do this!"_ He suddenly thinks to himself, but as his pupils disappear with a different power, and the whites of his eyes turn green, Malefor can feel the flow of pure Magic in his veins.

Living in hell for millions of years, the former Dark Master had time to understand everything his body could offer, most of the time needing those skills just to survive. In that time, Malefor learned more about the purple dragon's power, then any blue ancestral crystal could teach.

Using his magic transfer, a simple power taught to every dragon, Malefor fires a beam of ancestral magic as an elemental attack itself. A dark-green pulse of energy slams the ground at his feet, cutting a hole into the bedrock. The purple dragon keeps pumping this magic until his body can no longer produce the powerful flow.

Holding time for nearly two minutes now, Malefor knows he has another minute to go before he can no longer hold that special power, another ability he has honed above the realm of any normal purple dragon. So he waits and watches intently for the crystal root he just planted to spout. It should take forty-five seconds to appear, and another reason to use this special advantage. He can recharge his body, and have a few seconds to replace the electric force-field, before Time runs out.

Malefor takes those few moments to look at the anger in everyone's faces, and feels depression dominate his heart. However, the beaming smile on Sienna's face, comforts the large dragon.

"I have time Sienna..." He remarks to the young dragoness, knowing she doesn't hear him, but saying it for himself.

"...and I remember your anger too!" He remarks, recalling the bitterness in her only opened eye, when it first focused on the former Dark Master.

Malefor looks up at the arrows, still far enough for him to stop any from hitting the ground, and a sudden smile fills his face.

"Even though they are angry now...some will come to accept what I've done here. I'm sure...I will see a few more smiles after today!"

The purple and gold dragon, then turns his attention back to the hole in the ground, knowing a cluster of gems should be appearing any second. However, feeling his control on time is fading, Malefor starts becoming nervous.

"Where are they?" He barks with wonder.

Malefor looks up again, and becomes even more anxious. The arrows have begun to increase speed, as his grip on time comes apart.

"That's impossible...it's was forty-five seconds for the other cluster I made...why is this one taking so long!"

Suddenly a thought hits the wise dragon, making him feel stupid, and sending his heart into a panic.

"The crystal is frozen in time!" He remarks, realizing his mistake, then looking back up at the arrows, slowly getting faster.

Malefor uses his last bit of magic to blast a gust of hurricane force wind straight up, then falls to the ground exhausted. However, as time returns, the purple dragon watches one arrow get through his burst of air.

Standing nearly fifty yards away, a large angry cheetah stares at his arrow heading directly for the gold chest of his worst enemy, the evil Dark Master. His eyes watch intently, and a proud smile begins to fill his face, as he can see his arrow will strike his intended target. However, at the last second, the large cheetah becomes worried as the red and orange dragoness, that save Malefor from being struck by a large stone earlier, steps in front of his arrow.

"NO!" He screams with sudden fear, but in the blink of an eye, everything changes.

The large cheetah's eyes fill with surprise, as Sienna has moved several feet to the left, and his arrow is now stuck in the ground, however, that is not what really catches his eyes. It is Malefor, running full speed directly towards him, that startles this large cheetah. He never saw him stop his arrow, nor did he see the first twenty yards of his charge. But now, with the Dark Master barreling straight towards him, the large cheetah freezes with fear.

"GET DOWN!" Malefor barks, but this large cat has no clue who he is talking to. The Bengal patterned cheetah turns his head quickly to the right, seeing who is behind him, but his eyes open wide halfway around, noticing the large arrow coming straight at him from the forest.

In his own time shift, the cheetah warrior feels everything around him slow down, and watches his life flash before his eyes. From birth to death, this old cheetah has seen much, but now realizing he will die, truly frightens him.

"_He was talking to me!" _He remarks to himself, and pain begins to fill his heart.

Suddenly, time moves fast again. The old cheetah is shocked as his body is slammed from the side, and not speared through the chest. A blood-curdling yelp of pain, fills his left ear, and he turns his head back to face the purple dragon. A different sensation fills his soul, seeing a sight he was hoping for with his own arrow, however, it is not the sensation he is feeling now. The Bengaled cheetah thought he'd be so happy to watch the Dark Master die, however, seeing his predicament, and the pain in his PURPLE eyes, that different feeling begins to consume him.

Regret... regret for a dragon that has done nothing but try to save everyone.

Malefor is down on his side with the arrow that was to kill a cheetah, now speared through his neck. The impact was so violent, that it drove the large dragon down, and anchored him to the ground. Malefor is left helpless as his arms are dragged under his frame, and held down by his weight. The purple and gold dragon tries to move, but stops, quickly feeling the arrow still painfully holding him down by his throat.

After a moment, and with a great deal of pain, Malefor gets his right arm free, then flails his paw to reach the arrow holding him to the ground. However, he is suddenly overwhelmed by several other dragons, making sure he doesn't get free.

With no regard for the pain Malefor feels, the group pull his right arm behind his back, then grasp his other arm. Forced from under his body, Malefor's weight is now placed upon the arrow in his neck.

The purple dragon yelps with pain, as a large blue dragon places his front paws on his neck and jaw, holding him down harder upon the arrow. They tie his paws tightly behind him, and quickly muzzle the Dark Master to keep him from using any magic to fight. Malefor's eyes widen with more agony, as the three dragons begin striking him with a vicious battery of powerful blows.

Helpless to move, and wishing at this exact moment he was not immortal, Malefor becomes consumed with the pain of his life. At one time, he was revered by all dragons, but now, he is being savagely beaten by the race he was born to protect. Tears pour from his eyes, and a slight whimper of sadness comes from his tightly secured muzzle.

However, it is at that moment a different attack comes, and not one the purple dragon expected.

The cheetah, standing before him with regret in his eyes, suddenly shows anger, and Malefor waits for another he has protected to begin his savage revenge upon him.

However, his bengal-striped right leg sweeps over the bridge of Malefor's nose, and connects flush with the blue dragon holding his neck down.

With lightning fast speed, the angry cheetah, releases several other kicks, clearing the purple dragon of his other attackers, two smaller dragons that followed the blue dragons lead.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" He yells, landing on four paws before Malefor's exposed chest, ready to pounce if anyone approaches.

"Are you as crazy as that old hermit!" The large Ice dragon remarks, rubbing his sore jaw with the back of his paw.

"Come and find out!" The anger-filled cheetah replies, focusing his eyes to all three as they creep closer to attack again.

Suddenly a bolt of lightning strikes the ground, and everyone looks up.

"Back away from him Sargent!" Ampere barks to the Ice dragon, and he quickly stands at attention, but also shows a look of complete shock.

"Where did you get Magic from?" He remarks, as Ampere lands on the scorched ground where her powerful bolt of energy struck. All three dragons are painfully starved of energy, and seeing their commander at full strength is intriguing

The yellow dragoness gestures her head to a massive green crystal being shattered again, then reappearing instantly. A line of dragons surround this unending fountain of magic, not understanding where it came from, but nonetheless, refueling their bodies with the power they crave.

With a deep sigh of defiance, the blue dragon reluctantly turns his eyes from Malefor, looking back to his superior.

"What if this is a trick, Commander?" The Ice dragon remarks calmly, showing a rational mind, but Ampere quickly places her paw on the blue dragon's shoulder.

"Go over there, and you'll find out, my friend!" She replies, feeling the pure power from a crystal, the likes of which she has never felt before.

"There is such purity in this gem, that..." Ampere pauses looking into the eyes of a good friend, and comrade in arms. "...you will understand as soon as the ancestors speak to you!"

The taller Ice dragon balks for a moment, for he has not heard the ancestors speak to him in ten years. As a full adult, Master of Ice, and life-long Palace Guard, this dragon is fully-powered, and only receives a recharge from the ancestral crystals, nothing more.

Intrigued by the thought, it is a bit easier for this old dragon to follow the orders of his younger commander.

"Yes, ma'am!" He replies, then looks towards the other two dragons that where helping him beat Malefor senseless. With a simple gesture of his head, the younger guards follow the Ice Dragon to the crystal.

Ampere, looking down at the ground from her own bad judgment, steps over to the large purple dragon, and cuts the strap binding his paws. Malefor immediately, places his right arm down, lifting the weight from his neck, trying to gain some comfort. However, the large cheetah, seeing everyone back away, quickly leaps over Melefor, and places his paws under his head. With gentle force, the large cat holds the former Dark Master's neck perfectly still, taking all of the weight into his arms.

"I should have listened to my superior." Ampere remarks, removing the muzzle from Malefor's nose gently, so not to hurt him further. Her soft eyes fill the purple dragon will hope, and as she strokes her paw down his cheek, Malefor gets a chill down his spine.

"I'm sorry..." She continues, stopping her paw as it gets close to the arrow, still holding him down by the throat. "...this is my fault!"

Malefor tries to speak, but only a broken syllable spills from his mouth before yelping in pain. The arrow, wedged against his vocal cords, does not allow the former Dark Master to speak, however, his eyes and his actions have spoken volumes.

Ampere, grasp Malefor's jaw, holding his mouth closed, then rubbing the side of his neck once more.

"Don't speak!" She remarks, showing a smile to the pain-stricken dragon. The Electric dragoness, with knowledge of what he just did, lowers her head down to Malefor's ear.

"I saw everything!" Ampere whispers.

Malefor stares at the young dragoness with confusion, not understanding this sudden flip in her stance. She didn't seem to believe a word Excelcius had said about this new Malefor, however, seeing it with her own powerful eyes, Ampere is convinced.

"I can see the path a lightning bolt takes..." She replies to his look, and a smug smile crosses her face.

"...But it was difficult for me to follow how fast you were moving!"

The purple dragon's eyes open wide with surprise, hearing someone so young, using a technique he thought impossible for a normal dragon to hone.

"You saved everyone's life..." She says, recalling the actions he performed in the blink of an eye. Ampere, once again, places her paw on the side of Malefor's jaw, gently letting him know her appreciation.

"...now I will save yours!"

The yellow and orange dragoness, looks towards the large crystal, watching the entire Palace Guard fill their magic with a gift from the former Dark Master. Ampere gives a whistle, getting the attention of everyone under her command.

"Sargent Burg!" She barks, her eyes locked upon the Ice dragon that was beating Malefor, and gestures for him to return. With no delay in his feet, the large blue dragon runs to her side.

"Yes Ma'am!" He remarks, but his eyes immediately focus down to Malefor. The Ice dragon can feel sorrow in his heart suddenly, looking at the purple dragon's eyes, and feeling guilt for his earlier viciousness. Ampere, already seeing a different expression on his face, smiles, noticing he never looks away from the large purple dragon.

"You heard it didn't you?" She remarks, and the Ice Dragon quickly turns his attention to her.

"I could not believe what I heard..." He replies, after absorbing a huge amount of recharging energy from the green crystal. The large dragon flexes his arms on the ground, pushing out his chest with a new power now pulsing through his veins.

"I can't believe how I feel..." Burg continues, having a new understanding of his element, hearing the crystal speak of new techniques.

"...but I don't understand!"

"It is...my knowledge!" Malefor painfully replies, but suddenly begins to choke. Ampere places her paw on his muzzle again, keeping him from using his damaged throat.

The purple dragon turns his eyes to her, hoping he will remove her paw, so he can finish. However, Ampere holds firm, and looks back at her Sargent.

"Help him Burg!" She asks, hearing Malefor's painful whimpers becoming more intense. She looks to the old cheetah standing beside her, but can see he is also straining, just holding his neck steady "We can't do this by ourselves!"

The large Ice dragon falters for a moment, hearing a Head of the Palace Guard speak of helping the Dark Master, and holding his head with extreme care.

"That is not an order, Burg, it is a request...and one you must feel free to decline." Ampere continues, returning her eyes to Malefor, wishing she could help, but the slender dragoness knows she is not strong enough to keep him steady, while lifting his heavy frame. However, with Burg's size and strength, he could easily lift the purple dragon off this painful anchor.

"So I'm asking you...please...Help him!"

Malefor suddenly becomes emotional, and tears pour from his eyes.

"_How is this possible!"_ He says to himself, hearing the voice of reason coming from a dragoness he has never spoken to.

"Yes ma'am...I will help him!" Burg replies, and a sudden sensation fills Malefor's soul, one he's not felt in four millions years.

The ice dragon then gently places a paw on Malefor's side, patting the dragon's scales with a comforting touch.

"Rest easy...I can help with the pain, and we will get you free from this arrow in a minute!"

"_By the ancestors..."_ He quietly remarks, as Burg lowers down to his neck, cooling the injured dragon's throat with a single breath, finally numbing the non-stop pain he has felt.

"_...I am home!"_

Within a few seconds, Burg can see he has numbed Malefor's neck enough, and grasps the arrow's feathered end with his paw.

"Hold him steady!" He remarks, placing his other paw just under the feather, then snapping the back-end off clean. A slight twinge is shown from the purple dragon, but with Ampere and a large cheetah warrior holding him still, Malefor quickly calms as the pain is short-lived.

Burg lowers down to Malefor's ear, and gently grabs his left horn.

"This is going to hurt!" He whispers with a slight snicker in the old dragon's ear, and before Malefor can react to this warning, Burg lifts his head straight up.

With a quick sting, the purple dragon's neck is yanked clean from the large arrow, and Burg gently lowers his head, allowing Malefor to roll onto his stomach.

He quickly moans with relief, as his body is able to finally relax completely. However, with the arrow removed, another serious sight fills Ampere's eyes, and she is fast to place her paws on Malefor's neck. She applies a tremendous amount of pressure to a wound that has begun bleeding profusely.

"Easy!" He remarks, but Ampere holds her paws upon this geyser, panicking from the amount of blood pouring from the now open wound.

"But your bleeding really bad!" She replies, picking up the leather strap Burg fastened around his muzzle earlier.

The large cheetah warrior, still standing by Ampere's side, hands the young dragoness a portion of cloth torn from the side of his ceremonial robe, and the yellow dragoness uses her skilled paws to begin fastening a tight bandage around his neck.

Suddenly, the purple dragon raises his arm, grasping Ampere, and gently holding her from securing this bandage.

"Please, do not do that!" He moans, then pushes her arm away.

"I'm not gonna just let you die!" She barks back with anger, reaching for his neck again, however, Ampere stops short as his scales turn black. A flash of power comes from under the lose bandage, and Malefor reaches up pulling the strap from his throat.

Ampere's eyes open with shock seeing his wound completely healed, and not even a scar remaining behind.

"What the!"

"I needed the arrow out before I could regenerate!" The former Dark Master replies, then turns to the young dragon and smiles.

"If you tightened that..." He remarks with a deep growl in his voice, still sore from the arrow. Malefor then stands on his hind legs, towering over everyone, and looks down at the young dragoness. "...I would have been in the same predicament!"

However, to his chagrin, no one takes his words as compliment, even Sienna and Tristan have a sudden awkward look of fear in their eyes.

"What!?" He asks with sudden concern, however, this time Malefor notices himself. His voice...It is distorted and sounding more like he did ten years ago.

"NO!" He barks, holding his paws up in surrender. "I...I...I..."

Malefor tries to change the sound of his voice, but it is no use. He lowers to the ground on his haunches, praying that no one will attack him again, and showing concern in his eyes.

"I'll shut up, now!" He says softly to Ampere, and the young dragoness, still frozen for a moment, relaxes, seeing such a primal fear in his eyes.

"I just wanted to say, thank you...that's all." He growls with this hated voice, then lowers his head to the ground as well.

Ampere looks towards her Sargent, and can see a grin fill his features, like the one on the cheetah's face standing beside her. She herself can see this is not the Dark Master any longer, and also finds a bit of humor in the way he is ashamed of this voice.

The Head of the Elite Palace guard, places her right paw on the bridge of Malefor's nose, and slowly lowers her paw under his jaw, cradling the large muzzle in her palm. Ampere lifts his head, and Malefor reluctantly turns his eyes to her.

"Your Welcome!" She simply replies, giving a smile to the former Dark Master, showing the large purple dragon that she is no longer afraid of him. The crowd, however, not hearing his sympathetic voice, are still uneasy with Malefor being so close. The silence filling the Great Lawn becomes deafening, until...A young child's voice suddenly breaks the eerie quiet.

"What happened to all the arrows and rocks and stuff!" This tiny cheetah child remarks, and everyone's focus returns to the forest.

"Yeah!" Tristan quips, being help to his feet by Sienna, after she wrestled him free from his restraints.

"What happened to those annoying monkeys!"

However, as soon as Tristan finishes his statement, a loud explosion rocks the entire park. A curtain of fire moves across the forest from left to right, filling everyone's eyes with a glow of bright reds and oranges.

The heat is intense, and can be felt from over half a mile by the families that came for Sparx the Dragonfly's Dedication. The ground shakes as this massive wave of pure flame consumes the area where the Great Lawn was being attacked from. Parents cover the ears of their young, hearing the screaming ape army burn, however, a content smile fills their faces, happy this threat to their children is ending.

Eveyone's light-filled eyes suddenly focus in awe, seeing a creature made of pure fire, fly through this curtain of flames.

"He is a very quick learner..." Malefor remarks, taking Ampere's eyes from this incredible use of Fire power. "...and I think he will be the perfect Fire Guardian!"

"Who is that?" She asks with very mixed emotions, not recognizing her love in this form. Ampere is sure Excelcius was going to be next in line, knowing that he has been tested several times by the Guardians, and the secrecy in which they are training the former Palace Guard.

Now, hearing this statement from a dragon that she is still 'not friends with', annoys her quickly.

However, Malefor raises his head to look at his protege, and Ampere suddenly hears her boyfriend's name grumbled from his wrecked voice...

Her heart stops short.

"That can't be Excelcius!" She defiantly retorts, staring back to this dragon made of pure fire, but as he banks a right turn towards the crowd, and does a very familiar fly-by directly over the lawn, Ampere's heart stops again.

"Yes it can!" Burg replies with shock, knowing his former commander's flying style from years of service. The blue dragon turns his eyes to Ampere, showing the same amount of surprise.

"I just don't know how he doing...THAT!"

Malefor smiles again, with the knowledge of this remarkable dragon's new powers...and who is responsible.

The crowd's eyes, in awe of this fiery-miracle, are suddenly focused towards the forest again. Another powerful burst of energy fills their sight with wonderment, as a wave of wind streaks through the fire. It pulls the oxygen from the forest, snuffing the inferno in an instant, ensuring the innocent will not be hurt, and the forest with not be incinerated.

Suddenly, the famous blue, sphere-shaped, Skylander quickly emerges from the other end of the forest, and everyone begins to cheer. The crowd almost forgets about the purple dragon in their midst, seeing one of the greatest heroes of this age. However, once more, the crowd's enchanted eyes are pulled to the forest.

One large blue dragon, glowing with power, is yet to show off his skill-set, and what they see...amazes all, including a powerful purple dragon

"Wow!" Malefor gasps, as his eyes focus on a massive torrent of water, floating through the air.

Monsoon, using an elemental power, that even Malefor has never seen before, lifts the entire eastern river running through the park, and turns it towards the smoldering forest. As a dragon in love with only nature, he calls upon a special power honed with the Great Elder's help.

Spiritual in nature, this powerful energy allows the Water Master to use a technique no one can fathom. Monsoon quickly douses the smoldering area, and clears the grounds of all the evil remnants that was not incinerated.

With the danger washed away in mere seconds, Sonic zips over to the group with Malefor, and shows a smile to the Palace Guard he promised his help to.

"There, we got rid of everyone, so you don't need crystals anymore!" He remarks with a smug smile, then turns his attention to the cluster of green gems, glowing in the center of the lawn.

"However, I knew it wouldn't matter much!" Sonic pauses, and places his gloved hand on Malefor's side.

"You already have this exceptional dragon...here to defend his home once more!"

* * *

><p><strong>The Skylanders have returned, not at one hundred percent, but...they have a new recruit that could make a Giant difference. Malefor is seeing some smiles, and feeling a boost to his soul. And, the dragon race is receiving knowledge from someone with four million years experience...Nice.<strong>

**However, Nothing about Spyro or Cynder or Sparx...shame on me**!

**That should change!**


	41. The Hero's Heroes' Hero

**This chapter is dedicated to everyone that has taken the time to help a friend. As the confusing title will show, Heroes need Heroes, and the more friends you have, the more Heroes you have to help you.**

**In my case I have found some heroes here, and those are the friends that show support. I will be thanking one in particular, later in this chapter**

* * *

><p>Chapter 41: The Hero's Heroes' Hero<p>

Deep in the bowels of the new portal station, a single beam from a flashlight is the only thing illuminating the large engineering section. Jasper wipes his brow, after battling with several tight bolts, and feeling the heat this tiny light is giving. However, it's not the flashlight making him sweat, but instead the overwhelming feeling of defeat.

"_This is not gonna work!"_ Jasper calmly remarks, thinking of a different way to rewire the large generator, and not losing his patience.

It has been ten minutes since telling Gaven his prediction of two hours, and now all Jasper can see is how impossible this task will truly be.

"_I guess you were right Elliot!"_ The engineer remarks to himself again, straining to remove another tightly fastened bolt.

"_But at least you don't need to rush the solar panels now!"_

Suddenly the lights come on, startling the young engineer as the hum of power begins to fill his ears.

"What the F..." He remarks, standing upon his feet, mesmerized by the sudden life that springs into the technology around him.

"Jasper!" Elliot's voice barks from his wrist com, startling the engineer once more. "Can you hear me?"

Slowly, and with complete shock, Japser moves his hand up to his mouth.

"Yeah!" Is basically all he can say, still baffled by how the lights are on in a powerless station, or how a communicator is working with no base radio.

"We got the panels open, if you haven't noticed..." His voice remarks with a bit of nervousness, and the head engineer can hear his friend pause.

"...but...we have another issue now!"

"How the hell did you get the panels open so fast!" Jasper exclaims, standing on his feet, and walking to the exit of the engineering section.

"We had some help!" Elliot replies, again with a bit of nervousness in his voice, and Jasper picks up on the tone of his voice this time.

"What is it Elliot?" Japser asks, ending a very long pause, hoping to get information. However, his friend's voice doesn't change, it just makes him more curious.

"You need to see this for yourself, my friend!"

The human-like engineer, drops his tools and runs through the now lit hallway towards the Solar Control Room.

His eyes filled with the actions of the station returning to life, and his ear pick up on the subtle noises of power flowing throughout the entire base.

"_What the hell is going on?"_ He remarks, knowing that all four panels would have to be extended for this amount of power.

"_Only one panel was needed to power life support, how did he get them all open!"_

With his mind racing the many options, Jasper cannot fathom how three men, could crank a single twenty-ton solar panel into position in five minutes...let alone four! Even if a dozen Skylanders stepped in to help, only six men would be able to work the manual crank wheels at the same time. With more people, they could open all four at once, but it is not a speedy process unless there is someone who has incredible strength.

Jasper knows the group on board, and with the exception of Gaven himself, no one on the station is that strong...or is there!

Knowing a place he and his friends built with their bare hands, and having spent six months living on the station, Jasper covers the quarter-mile trek down several hallways and corridors in just a minute.

The winded human stops dead in his tracks, as he rounds the corner to the Solar Control Room. His eyes open wide with shock, then suddenly fill with anger for what he sees.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?" He yells, seeing the entire hallway leading to the control room is destroyed. The floor and ceiling are melted, making a three-story tall walkway leading from the far end of the station, the side of the station that still baffles Jasper to this day.

As the main engineer, Jasper didn't understand the plans to this half of the station at first. It was scaled five times large than the other half of the station, and Gaven was very secretive for his reasons behind this.

Suddenly, Elliot runs from a door that has been expanded to accommodate a very large person.

"Jasper!" He yelps from one floor down, and the head engineer lowers his eyes down to focus his anger towards the other engineer.

"Holy Shit Elliot! What did you guys do to my station?"

"I didn't do this!" He barks back with his own anger, but both engineers are snapped from their argument with an even larger anger-filled bark.

"WILL SOMEONE GET ME THE HELL OUT OF THIS SMALL ROOM, BEFORE I BLOW MY TOP!"

The entire station shakes from this rumbling voice, and Jasper's eyes open wide with complete shock.

The young engineer leaps one story down to the new floor, and runs into the room to see what the hell is going on. However, his eyes fill with even more surprise.

"Oh my God!" Jasper remarks, seeing a volcanic-rock creature four times Gaven's height, and ten times his size.

"Not exactly, human!" The Giant Skylander remarks, trying to move his head to look the engineer in the eyes, however he cannot budge in the cramped room.

Jasper, after the shock of what he sees passes, chuckles for a second, then scratches his head.

"I guess not..." He replies with a snicker. "...a God would not get stuck so easily!"

Jasper climbs up a catwalk to be eye-level with this molten rock giant, and can hear the anger building inside of the volatile creature.

"You know they call me Hot Head for a reason!" The large Skylander barks, turning ever so slightly, showing the engineer a caldera at the top of his head, bubbling with molten rock. "What is stopping me from ignore that other engineer and just burning a hole through this next wall!"

Jasper stops, and gazes into the fiery eyes that he can see now, showing a defiant stare.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" He replies sternly, tapping the outer hull of the station. "Unless you can breathe in Space!"

Hot Head's eyes open wide, and the fire inside of them goes out. The molten rock spewing from his head subsides, and the large Skylander just lowers his stuck head in defeat.

"I couldn't reach the last two crank-wheels, from the hallway, so I ignored your friend, and forced my self in here!" Hot Head remarks somberly, then tries to move once more, and show regret in his eyes, but suddenly pinches his neck tighter

"AAGGGGHHHH!"

Jasper flinches from the loud yelp of pain, but can see how the predicament just got worse. A large piece of the broken ceiling slips when the Giant Skylander's head moves, and Hot Head begins to get angry. The caldera at the top of his head starts to boil, and steam begins pumping from the countless fissures on his body.

"Elliot...Get everyone out of here!" He barks to his engineer, expecting the volcanic Skylander to erupt any second, cutting a hole into the station's outer wall. No one could survive the explosive decompression in the room, so Jasper clears it out.

After everyone leaves the room, Jasper focuses his attention on the large Skylander.

"Calm down, Hot Head...I'm here, I'll help you, but you need to settle down!"

The large Skylander tries desperately to calm himself, but it is impossible, and he quickly lets Jasper in on the fact...that he cannot.

"I can't breath...I can't...stop!"

Jasper's eyes go a mile a minute, scanning the room for any options, then suddenly they focus on the broken ceiling. After the large Skylander widened the room to get in, the ceiling above collapsed, pinning him down, but it also exposed a small O-2 tank. Dangling from the room above, positioned almost perfectly for a very crazy idea, Jasper reaches down, grabs a piece of broken scaffolding, and leaps on Hot Head's chest.

"If you pray..." He dips the metal bar into the caldera, drawing a glob of white-hot rock from Hot Head. "...I would do it now!"

Jasper leaps across a large gap in the broken catwalk, and runs underneath the section of partially broken roof.

He pulls himself up, with one arm, and holds this molten fuse for a moment to say a quick prayer. Jasper smears the white-hot rock onto the O-2 tank, then releases his grip.

He free-falls from the ceiling, allowing his body to drop as fast as it can from this powerful bomb he just created. The fuse burns quickly, as the steel tank is no match for molten rock. In a second, it explodes violently, destroying a larger section of the roof.

Jasper is blasted to the ground, but the explosion does what he expected. A large section of the roof gives way, pulling the bulkhead from the Giant Skylander's neck. Hot Head quickly covers his rescuer's body with his massive rock hand, keeping him from being crushed by the falling steel roof.

"Are you OK?" The volcanic giant remarks, lowering the pressure inside his body, holding his eruption as he calms down.

"Yeah..." Jasper's voice echoes with strain from under the large rock giant's hand.

"...as long as I don't move!"

However...

"Jasper!" Gaven's voice suddenly barks from the head engineers wrist communicator.

"I see we have power, now...so when can you get the portal platform going?"

Silence fills the air in the destroyed Solar Control Room, as Jasper just thinks for a moment.

"I need to get a new job!"

* * *

><p>Unable to move a single muscle, the restraints across his body are merely decoration, as the vicious onslaught of revenge continues. It's been only five minutes since he was tied down, but for the purple dragon, it feels like an eternity. In and out of consciousness, Spyro only wakes with the painfully sharp sting of constant strikes to his wings. That, and the crystals on his back and in his mouth, keeps the purple dragon shuttering between reality and nightmare.<p>

The evil General Gaul has taken his time, torturing the helpless hero, slowly slicing different areas of Spyro's wings, then pressing the dark crystal into his back harder, every time the restless dragon tries to move. He is a complete savage during this beating, never giving the purple dragon a moment to catch his breath.

Suddenly, Spyro realizes his time for suffering may have mercilessly come to an end, and it may also be a signal to the end of his life. The ape General tears the restraint from his muzzle, allowing the purple dragon a chance only to beg.

"Have you had enough yet, little whelpling, or shall we continue?" Gaul asks with a deep arrogance.

Spyro, finally choking out the broken pieces of purple crystal forced into his mouth, tries to say anything in defiance, however, Gaul places his foot on the weakened dragon's nose, not allowing him to say a word. Unable to speak, the purple dragon just concedes with a dejected snort from his bloody nostrils.

The ape general removes his swords from the shredded membranes of the Spyro's destroyed wings, and lets out a tremendous laugh.

"I have defeated the mighty Spyro!" He barks to his entire army, holding a single blade up in victory over the purple dragon's head, and a loud cheer comes up from the crowd.

Suddenly, a crackle of thunder fills the air, and a bolt of lightning flashes in Spyro's eyes. An instant later, the large ape falls flat in front of the purple dragon, and Spyro's eyes open wide with surprise.

Gaul is dead.

His body is scorched from head to toe, but it is the spear of Ice through his chest that catches Spyro's attention. At that exact moment, two dragons land before him, and a breath of hope fills Spyro's lungs.

"You defeated nothing you windbag!" Cyril barks at the smoldering ape general, staring into Gaul's ruby red eye as it fades to darkness.

"Are you done tough talking the dead ape, Cyril?" Volteer remarks, burning his paw as he removes the purple crystal from Spyro's back. The yellow dragon has his eyes focused on the surprised but angered army, encroaching quickly on the two dragons that slayed their general with a sudden display of dual powers.

"I think we need to leave...retreat...cut and run...GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

The electric guardian grasps Spyro around his chest, and rips his body from the ground, pulling the restraints along with him. Cyril lines up with the purple dragon, hugging him tightly between himself and Volteer, then reaching around and locking arms with the other Guardian.

They protect the lame purple dragon, with a barrier of their respected elements, from incoming arrows and spears, then launch into the air together. Both guardians, as life-long friends, anticipate each others moves, allowing them to fly together with precision. Cyril and Volteer hold their precious cargo tightly, spiraling away at great speed, leaving the leaderless army to fend for itself.

After getting only a few hundred feet into the air, both guardians relax their pace, and flood Spyro with a transfer of Magic and Strength. The Great Hero of Avalar can feel energy pulse through his veins again, then looks down towards the evil army, getting further from his view. Spyro finally relaxes himself, noticing the army's charge, is much slower than their escape.

"Where did you guys come from?" The purple dragon remarks with surprise and graciousness in his voice, and both guardians smile, hearing the life return to their Hero.

"We have been looking all over this park for three small whelplings..." Cyril replies, giving up Spyro's weight to the larger and stronger of the two.

Volteer gracefully secures the injured purple dragon to his blue chest, allowing Cyril to break free. The Ice Guardian does a barrel-roll from under the two dragons, coming up along side, and readies to continue his story of what he and his friend have been up to for the last half-hour.

However, before Cyril can open his mouth again, Spyro lets him in on what he knows already.

"If you talking about the young dragons that my brother saved...they are in New Warfang with my son!"

Cyril's eyes suddenly show anger, however, Volteer begins to laugh.

"I told you, you pompous fool!" The Electric Guardian remarks, getting the last word in a previous conversations, one that was getting more and more heated as they searched.

"I told him they were with you, Spyro!" Volteer continues, turning his head down to look at the purple dragon, trying to fill him in on the pointless search they went on. The large yellow dragon returns his eyes to the blue Guardian beside them, and does a remarkable impression of his best friend.

"NO! We need search the entire forest on the way..." He remarks with a deep smugness in his voice, and Spyro chuckles hearing Volteer mock Cyril's voice perfectly.

"...it is ideal to cover every inch, so we don't have to check twice."

The Ice Guardian turns his head away, hearing his exact words, and not acknowledging the fact Volteer wanted to just head for the mushroom village in the first place.

"I sometimes wonder about his intelligence, Spyro..." The yellow dragon continues with pure sarcasm, forcing Cyril to return his eyes to his best-friend, showing him a very defiant glare.

"...I mean really! How can you be so smart, or self-centered, or ego-driven..." Volteer says, turning his eyes to Spyro once more.

"...and still be wrong so many... many... many times!"

The purple dragon begins laughing again, hearing the continual assault of character between such good friends, and seeing the red color of embarrassment fill the blue dragon's face.

"Come on Volteer, Cyril's a very well-balanced dragon...He has a chip on both shoulders!" Spyro remarks, helping to taunt the Ice Guardian further, almost feeling like he and his brother are mocking the boorish dragon once more.

Cyril's jaw drops, showing the shock of Spyro now joining in, and his wings open wide, stopping himself in mid-air.

"Alright already!" He barks, and Volteer halts alongside his annoyed friend. Both dragons, trying not to laugh in his face, hold awkward grins on their muzzles.

"I swear to the ancestors..." He remarks, looking at the smugness in both Volteer and Spyro's eyes.

"...if you two start hanging out together...I'm leaving New Warfang!"

Both dragons begin to laugh, unable to hold it any longer. They recall how much Sparx would get under his scales, but only because they would egg him on. However, A weird moment of nostalgia also fills Cyril's soul, recalling the many times Sparx and his brother would pick on him.

Even in the most fear-filled moments during the Great War against Dark Malefor, the little dragonfly always had a comment to lighten the mood. It is those times that stick out in his mind, and now, seeing the two dragon laughing during this crisis, Cyril suddenly shows a smile himself.

Suddenly the Icy dragon's eyes open wide, and he tries something he never does...a comeback!

"Not like it would matter!" The blue dragon continues, using a bit of sarcasm himself. Cyril looks up to the sky, channeling his inner dragonfly, then stares back into the eyes of Volteer.

"I'm sure that you would find me wherever I go..." Cyril pauses, showing a very arrogant smile. "...you always seem to be a step or two...BEHIND ME!"

Spyro's jaw drops from shock, hearing Cyril fire back a comment for the first time in a while, but this surprise lasts only a second before the purple dragon laughs harder than before.

"WOW!" Volteer replies, and Cyril flashes another smug grin.

"That's it! I was expecting more from you then just...WOW!" He remarks, then suddenly changes his voice to sound goofy, and his inflections reek of a certain electric dragon.

"That is the most shocking, revolting, unheard of, pompous, arrogant, self-absorbed, ego-maniacal, half-witted, dim-witted, two-faced, four-flushing..."

Both dragons can hear the Ice Guardian just throwing words out now, and Spyro looses control of his laughter, as Volteer's jaw opens with surprise. Then suddenly the rant changes gear and Spyro laughs even harder, hearing the multiple adjectives begin to describe this certain yellow dragon.

"...motor-mouthing, jabber-jawed, gossip-mongering, non-stop blabbering, idiotic WINDBAG!"

Volteer is beside himself for a moment, holding the hysterical purple dragon, and staring into a set of blue eyes that are completely focused, showing the truth in how Cyril feels.

Suddenly the Ice Guardian, snaps back to reality, and his eyes show regret, hearing his friend pause for so long. He may have gone over the line, just to insult him like a little dragonfly would.

"That was Cold, Cyril...even for YOU!" Is all he says, staring into his friend's eyes with anger.

Cyril can feel his heart begin to pound, and is about to begin a vast string of apologetic adjectives, when Volteer's angered expression breaks slightly.

Spyro never stops laughing, knowing that Volteer is playing him, feeling the gentle shaking of the electric dragon from laughing inside. A deep remembrance strikes the purple dragon, feeling a sudden connection with Volteer he never had before, like he is with his little brother again.

The Ice Guardian can see his best friend is trying to hold a straight face, but as Spyro continues to laugh, Volteer's façade begins to crack further. He blinks several times, and a smile slowly removes the scowl on his face. It is at that point, Cyril can see Volteer is failing miserably to hold anger, and his face fills with embarrassment again.

"You bastard!" He remarks, and both dragons laugh harder again.

"I thought you were actually mad at me, Volteer." Cyril says, as his face gets a bit redder, showing true emotion in his friend's feelings for him.

"I was only trying to be funny!"

"Oh no!" Spyro replies, opening his tear filled eyes, and turning them to the worried-looking dragon. "That was funny, Cyril...Volteer's just angry that he had nothing to...SAY...back to you!"

The purple dragon winks an eye to Cyril, hoping he catches on to an easy set up for another joke, and a smile fills his face as the blue dragon picks up on it quick.

"Yes Spyro, it was very odd, that's why I panicked..." The Ice Guardian remarks in his pompous voice, smiling back to the purple dragon, and happily feeling like he is now part of this juvenile brotherhood.

"...I mean, No one expects Volteer to be speechless!"

The sounds of crickets chirping suddenly fills the sky, as Spyro and Volteer look at him with complete dismay, then stare at each other and shake their heads.

"You need to work on your delivery!" Spyro exclaims, and Volteer nods his head in agreement.

Cyril shows a bit of anger again, hearing the joke turned on him. However, the guardian becomes Icy, and uses his sharp mind to fire back again.

"I thought to use small words, so I didn't confuse him..." He replies, then stares at Spyro. "...nor you!"

The purple dragon's eyes open wide with shock.

"Did you just say I was as dumb as Volteer?" Spyro retorts, and the electric dragon squeezes him tighter, hearing the sarcasm in the young dragon's voice.

"Noooo!" Cyril replies with a more arrogant tone, flying face to face with the still flightless purple dragon, helplessly held in the air by Volteer's tight grasp, then turning his eyes to his wrecked wings.

"It was quiet intelligent to take on the entire ape army by yourself...GENIUS!"

Spyro's eyes stay wide open, and he pauses again for a moment

"Wow! That was a much better delivery!" He says, and both he and Volteer begin laughing again.

Cyril is beside himself. He thought he was being rude, but suddenly, seeing both of his friends laughing, the snobbish dragon final sees the humor in an insult like that. A smile fills Cyril's face, and both Volteer and Spyro stop laughing, to show the Ice Guardian a look of acceptance in this brotherhood of insults.

A momentary pause, high in the air during a battle, allows all three dragons to release the tension building for the last hour, and they just stare at each other for a moment with large smiles.

However, with this pause, comes the inevitable sound of the army approaching on their stationary position.

Spyro's eyes are pulled to the east, watching the forest being trampled by the massive swarm, and taps his good left horn against Volteer's chest.

"We better get to the Great Lawn!" The purple dragon remarks with a sudden sternness, changing the emotions of the moment in an instant.

"Right!" Volteer replies sharply, not listing a barrage of words, and taking off towards the city side of the park with haste. Cyril zips in behind them, leaving the slower army in the dust again.

The three dragons, nearly ten miles from the city, can barely see the large open area from so far away. They have no clue if anyone is even in the Great Lawn, as the curve of the planet takes most of the lawn beyond the horizon.

However, one thing catches Spyro's eyes, and a deep fear builds inside his heart.

"What is that?" The purple dragon barks, suddenly noticing the powerful dome of energy covering New Warfang. Even though the city is farther then the lawn, the nearly two thousand foot tall palace towers can be seen easily, and so can this force-field.

"By the ancestors...Sparx...Cynder!"

Spyro can feel his heart pound, and he jabs his elbow into Volteer's ribs.

"GO... GO... GO!"

The Electric Guardian, with his eyes focused on the same thing, heeds the purple dragon's call, and increases his speed. Cyril, even without the burden of carrying Spyro, is barely able to keep up with the two other dragons, but nonetheless, the Ice Guardian stays on his friends' tails.

Suddenly, all three focus their attention to the Great Lawn as a plume of fire, so large that it can be seen from over the curve of Avalar's surface, fills the horizon with a bright orange glow.

"Oh my word!" Cyril remarks, as all three stop in mid-flight, fearing the absolute worst.

"I pray to the ancestors that no one is in the Great Lawn!"

Spyro looks at the city again, then back towards the north, and a massive fire that appears to be inside the Great Lawn. The innocent weighs on his mind, knowing the park is filled with families, and only a few Palace Guards. He knows his wife and son may be in danger, but he knows that Sparx and Cynder can fight.

"Get over there Volteer!" Spyro remarks nervously, knowing how many showed up for his brother's dedication, and believing that most of them just perished.

However, before the three dragons can head towards the other danger, several faint yelps fill their ears from the west. Their eyes focus on a small clearing, and panic ensues.

"WHAT ARE THOSE KIDS DOING OUT HERE!" Spyro barks, seeing over a dozen young dragons, small cheetahs, and Manweresmalls.

"I don't know!" Volteer remarks, looking at the crowd of stunned children. Their eyes focused up on the purple dragon and two guardians with awe.

Protected by a dense grove of the forest, these kids are completely unaware of what's going on, and have been playing for hours. However, seeing the greatest dragon in history being carried by Volteer, they suddenly begin to panic.

Spyro looks back to the approaching horde, and can see they have only a few seconds before these children really discover what's going on.

"We gotta get them out of here!" Cyril remarks, and Spyro nods his head quickly.

"Leave me here!" He remarks, turning his eyes to Volteer, then to Cyril.

"I'll hold them off, while you guys gather those kids up!"

"But Spyro..." Volteer retorts, hearing a serious flaw in the purple dragon's plan. "...I can't carry all of these kids and you!

"You're not going to carry me back!" Spyro replies, as they get down far enough for the flightless dragon to leap.

Spyro hits the ground running towards the danger, and yells back an order for to the guardians to follow.

In battle Spyro outranks the Guardians.

"Get them out of here now!" He barks, and watches the two guardians nod their heads.

Spyro runs full speed, hoping to keep the distance between the ravenous army and the innocent children as far from each other as possible. However, the purple dragon can already see several apes approaching through the trees.

The children scream as their hero ignites the forest before them, and shakes the ground with a powerful Earth attack. They had wanted a demonstration of the purple dragon's power during the dedication, but Spyro was unwilling with so many in the park. Now seeing this fiery-earthquake he created, they quickly understand.

"Hurry, you guys...I have limited power!" Spyro remarks, knowing the power he recieved from Cyril and Volteer is not nearly enough to supply a purple dragon.

Hearing the tone in his voice, The Guardians gather the dozen or so quickly, and take off into the air. They have a deep regret in their hearts, leaving Spyro behind to fend for himself, but it is what he ordered them to do, and they will always follow this dragon's orders.

Seeing the children out of harms way, Spyro does not dawdle. He turns towards the Great Lawn, and quickly starts running. However, he gets only a few feet before a sharp pain in his left leg, brings Spyro to a grinding stop.

The purple dragon lies on his side, looking back at his hind leg, and sees a poisonous arrow stuck in his calf. Spyro looks back at the inferno, and can see the ape army is pushing through regardless of the burning pain.

His eyes lock on several more arrows, fired in his direction, and Spyro limps as fast as he can to avoid more hits to his body. He can feel a strong poison filling his veins, and the effects of a quick working tranquilizer laced with it. The purple dragon, knowing he cannot take any more hits from this poison, tries desperately to get to a thicker area of the forest, but with his capacity diminishing, Spyro does not notice the second volley of arrows already incoming.

One strikes him in the back.

In a step, the purple dragon is down, and barely able to move. Spyro raises his head with great effort to look back at his attackers, hoping to draw one last defiant breath of fire from his muzzle, before losing control of his muscles completely. However, as Spyro turns his head, another arrow strikes his neck at the jaw line, forcing his muzzle the other way. The purple dragon's head drops to the ground, and he becomes completely paralyzed from an overdose of pure poison.

Several apes surround Spyro, staring into his eyes with hate and anger, drawing back their bows to execute him on the spot.

Unable to move a single muscle now, the defeated dragon just closes his eyes, and hopes for an image of his wife and son to fill his mind, before they decide to fire.

"NOOOO!" A young voice yells, startling the apes to look up.

Shock fills their eyes, seeing a decent sized black and gray dragon falling from the tree above. He slams down atop the paralyzed Spyro, and both dragons disappear in a cloud of dark Shadows.

The apes fire their arrows immediately, but they harmlessly stick into the ground, alongside the three bloody arrows that hit the purple dragon earlier. Cloaked in the Shadow World, the black and purple dragons are transparent in reaility, and able to simply walk away.

In this cold realm of the Shadows, Spyro's eyes focus on a young dragon he does not recognize at all.

"Who are you?" He asks with confusion, but this young dragon seems far to distracted to answer any question.

"What is going on? What happened to everyone? Why is the ape army back?" The young Shadow dragon inquires quickly, stunned by what he saw after a short nap in the boughs of this large tree.

"Easy son!" Spyro remarks trying to calm him, knowing this dragon is his only hope at survival. "Please, I need you to calm down, and help me to my feet."

Only a few years older than his son, this young and powerful adolescent dragon quickly shocks Spyro, lifting the larger dragon up on to his back, and with relative ease.

"Damn son!" He remarks, feeling such strength in someone his age.

"Are you a Shadow dragon, or an Earth dragon?"

The young black and gray caster of Shadows smiles, and starts walking away from the mob of angry apes slowly, making little movements so not to be seen.

"My name is Nightshade..." He whispers with a smugness that immediately reminds the purple dragon of Blanca.

"...and Earth Dragons only wish they were as strong as a Shadow dragon!"

Spyro chuckles, then turns his eyes back to the stunned group of apes, still staring at the spot the purple dragon was lying a moment ago. However his eyes suddenly focus behind them, as the new leader of this army shows himself, and with his first order, Spyro realizes a terrible fact.

This ape is much smarter, and should have been in charge to begin with.

"He is cloaked in Shadows you fools, stop aimlessly staring at the ground, and spread out already!" The large ape, with three scars across his face, barks sternly.

"The dragon that rescued him was only a whelpling..." He continues, hoisting a sword from his back, pointing it towards the city "...he cannot keep Spyro hidden for long. Move forward, and we will drive them towards you."

"By the ancestors!" The young dragon remarks "This guy is serious!"

"Yes, he is, and it's time for you to get out of here" Spyro remarks, but the young dragon turns his head to the purple dragon on his back.

"What do you think I'm doing!" Nightshade replies, returning to the task at hand, and increasing his walking speed to leave faster.

"NO...leave me behind and YOU get out of here!" Spyro barks, stopping Nightshade in his path.

"My hero would NEVER leave anyone behind, and neither will I!"

However, the black dragon can feel Spyro trying to remove himself from his back.

Nightshade lifts his right front paw, and grasps Spyro's broken horn. With the pain of this grip, the already weak dragon stops jostling, and collapses back atop Nightshade.

"You're NOT going anywhere yet, Spyro!" The Shadow dragon growls, trying to get further from the scattering group of apes, hoping to find shelter before losing his cloak of invisibility.

"I would never hurt anyone I'm trying to save!" Spyro remarks, grasping his horn as Nightshade releases it, and rubbing his head gently to ease the pain.

"You need lessons in Hero work!"

The Shadow dragon chuckles, making a sudden turn into a thick grove of trees, then lowering Spyro from his back. The young dragon reemerges from the Shadows, looking to make sure he wasn't seen, then turns his bright green eyes to Spyro.

"Well you're not my hero..." He replies with a sarcastic smile, then looks out towards the forest again, keeping an eye on two apes that are entering his view. "...so I will have to get those lessons from someone else!"

Spyro does a double take, and tries to turn his head. However, the purple dragon, still feeling the paralyzing effects of a powerful poison attack, moans in pain.

"Stop moving...and be quiet, Hero!" The young dragon whispers, showing him a look of concern. Spyro holds his breath, hearing footsteps approaching, and concern fills his face as well.

Nightshade can see these apes heard something, and will get entirely too close. A single thought crosses his mind.

"_What would Blanca do?"_

He looks for any others in the area that could witness what he must do, what his hero would do, and notices only a single ape a hundred yards away.

The Shadow dragon turns his head to Spyro showing him a very scared look, but takes a deep breath.

"I can do this!" He says, and Spyro watches him disappear.

The purple dragon is completely shocked at Nightshade's departure, and becomes worried even further seeing the two apes so close to his position as his view is unobscured. Suddenly, and without a single sound, they both disappear in an instant. Nightshade, grasps both apes, pulling them into the Shadow Realm, then leaving them behind to float in limbo for eternity.

Spyro is beside himself, as this immediate threat is over before it started. He looks around under the canopy of brush covering him from prying eyes, and notices no one else is coming.

"Nightshade, where are..."

The black dragon's paw emerges from the shadows, holding Spyro's muzzle shut.

"I told you to be quiet!" He whispers with great anger in his voice, and Spyro balks once more at this kid's poise.

Nightshade looks out into the forest, and relaxes seeing no one else approaching.

"Maybe I should give you lessons!" He continues, and Spyro rolls his eyes, then smiles.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the Great Lawn, a dozen Palace Guards have surrounded a certain dragon. They gaze intently into Malefor's eyes, as the former Dark Master speaks his words of peace, and forgiveness. It takes only moments for them to see he is not the same, however, none of the stone-faced dragons show him their understanding.<p>

Even with their former commander and the Great Skylander hedgehog by his side, many of the Palace Guards continue to show him hatred. They remember a brutally vicious war, a war they fought for three long years before Spyro and Cynder awoke. A war that cost them many friends.

"We don't trust you!" A single guard remarks, and several turn their noses up with his remark, holding a firm position against the former Dark Master.

"I understand!" Malefor replies with humility in his words, lowering his head slowly to the ground again.

Excelcius becomes annoyed with the stubbornness of his friends, and is ready to step forward with a few thoughts of his own, however, before he can speak his first anger-filled word.

"I trust him!" A single female voice remarks, and one that pulls a lot of weight. The yellow and orange leader of the Palace Guard strides up to the red dragon that spoke out.

"And it doesn't matter what you think Lieutenant!" Ampere remarks, staring muzzle to muzzle with the red dragon.

"Ampere...NO!" Malefor remarks, keeping his head down in shame "I don't want your guards to lose faith in their leader...so please, don't do that!"

The purple dragon slowly rises to his feet, then walks over to this defiant red dragon.

"You have every right to hate me, and I have no right to be angry with you for that..."

Malefor stops a few feet before the posturing Palace Guard, then lowers to the ground. The purple dragon bows his head down to the paws of the now startled red dragon, and continues with a humbling tone that shakes everyone to the core.

"...I have placed such shame on our race, that I have no right to speak to you on your level, but I hope you can still hear these words from someone so far beneath you."

Malefor pauses for a moment, recalling millions of years in trapped in hell, hoping one day to get a chance to say these exact words to any dragon that would listen. Seeing the crowd around him now, he takes a deep breath, and recites this speech from his broken heart.

"I'm so sorry for my failures. I destroyed everything that I loved in this world, and nothing I say now can ever change that. I made our home a living hell, and for two thousand years the dragon race was forced to suffered. You should never forgive me...for what I have done is more awful then just causing a war. I failed as a leader... I failed my family and friends...and I failed in life itself..."

Malefor pauses again, then slowly looks up at the eyes he's pleading to.

"...I failed...at being a dragon."

The former Dark Master closes his eyes and weeps, he is completely broken emotionally, and has no strength to keep his head up.

However, as Malefor's nose lowers to the ground again, a red paw grasps his jaw.

"No...you have honor..." The red dragon remarks with a slightly cracked voice, lifting Malefor's head with his strength.

"...and that is a trait, found specifically in DRAGONS!"

Malefor smiles, and suddenly feels life return to his body, as the Palace Guards around him begin to agree with this one dragon's assessment.

"I seem to be finding that out more every day!" The purple dragon remarks of this red dragon's honor, as he helps him rise back to his feet.

"I could learn much from you...if you would allow it?"

The red dragon balks for a moment, hearing a genuine want in Malefor's voice.

"I don't think so...I still don't trust you!" He replies, quickly turning his head away, recalling countless fights with his minions. "You may be a dragon, and you may have some honor, but you are still Malefor, and I can't help the hatred I feel for you!"

Malefor understands his reaction, but still cannot help the depression that fills his heart. The large dragon goes to turn away from the group, to be alone with his emotions, however, he is halted by the same red paw that helped him to his feet earlier.

"Hey!" The red dragon barks, making sure he has Malefor's full attention before showing his full honesty.

"I said I hated you, and that is all!" He remarks, turning his attention to a particular green dragon across the way, and gesturing his head at him.

"I can't stand him either!"

A burst of laughter comes from all the Palace Guards knowing the red and green dragons are brothers, and bitter rivals in life.

"That dragon has annoyed me from birth, but I know he is a defender of his race...so I deal with him!"

"F**k You!" The green dragon simply retorts, and another burst of laughter fills the air.

Suddenly the red dragon becomes very stern, and grasps the horn on Malefor's chin, yanking him down to his eye level.

"I hate you Malefor...with every fiber of my being, I hate you. And nothing you ever say or do will change that!" The red dragon releases his horn, and turns his back on the purple dragon.

"However, I will not fight with a dragon that is just trying to defend his honor, regardless of how I feel personally, or how pointless that defense is."

This red dragon returns his eyes to Malefor, making sure he understands his point perfectly.

"I am a Palace Guard...and I have sworn only to do harm when someone is trying to hurt the ones under my protection."

He pauses and looks at the families in the Great Lawn, reuniting with each other after a sudden attack the left everyone running for cover, cover that was was quickly given by a former enemy.

"You have only helped in my cause so far, and for that and nothing else...I am grateful!" The red dragon remarks, then sternly returns his eyes to Malefor.

"But I will never trust you!"

After a very uncomfortable moment of silence, Malefor smiles, then places a paw upon this honest dragon's shoulder.

"Fair enough!" He remarks, and turns away from the red dragon to face the rest of the Palace Guards.

"I am hoping you will all see it the same way this noble dragon does, for I do not wish to fight with the ones I was sworn to protect, either..."

Malefor pauses and lowers his head

"...I have done that for far to long!"

Another moment of silence fills the air, but with the nods of many heads, this silence is not as uncomfortable.

Suddenly the uneasy calm is broken again, but this time by the sound of static coming from the Skylander communicator on Sonic's right hand.

"Gen..al , can y...ear me!" Gaven's voice, as broken as it is, rings in the Skylander's ear, for he had thought all of his friends were lost.

"Gaven, is that you!" He cries out, hoping for any reply to his call, believing he may have been hearing things. However, as the sudden crackle of static returns, the blue hedgehog becomes red with excitement.

"You made it!" Gaven remarks, hearing the sound of one of his son's...alive, and even through the static, able to hear joy in his voice

"Where is Spyro?" The Portal Master inquires, hoping to hear news of his other son. "I think he was caught up in that explosion, Sonic, and I can't get reach him on his communicator."

"I don't know, Master Gaven!" Sonic replies, suddenly sending a chill down everyone's spine, then looking towards the east, and the direction of the fouled up bombing. With his exceptional eyes, the hedgehog scans the dense forest all the way to the horizon.

"And I don't see him either!"

Gaven pauses for a minute, taking extra time with the limited power he has in the station, to track the purple dragon's last known whereabouts, or basically pull up the coordinates of the last portal opened.

"He was fifteen miles due east of your location, Sonic..." The Portal Master remarks over a louder build up of static. "...We will lose communications in a moment, General, so your orders are to find Spyro, and gather what support you can...the Skylanders will be there as soooooo..."

The communication dies out, and Sonic's focus turns to his orders.

"Malefor!" Sonic remarks loudly, startling the purple dragon for a moment.

"Take me up as high and as fast as you can!"

The hedgehog is snatched into the arms of the large purple dragon, and quickly Malefor leaps into the air.

Soaring higher and higher, the horizon moves further away, allowing Sonic to several miles father. They keep going up until he finally holds up his gloved hand.

"I see him!" He barks then focuses his eyes sharply, and can see the purple dragon's serious predicament. In a heartbeat Sonic flips out.

"HOLY SHIT!" The blue hedgehog barks, then looks down at the ground. Over a thousand feet up, Sonic's eyes lock on the one thing he needs to help his friend.

"DROP ME...MALEFOR...DROP ME...NOW!"

Malefor, not wanting to drop him from so high, is startled by the hedgehog's request, however, Sonic spins his body in the purple dragon's paws, forcing him to let go.

From the ground everyone watches with fear, believing Malefor just dropped one of their heroes on purpose, however, as Sonic opens his body to change his direction, they can see he is in control of this fall, and precisely where he is heading.

The large crystal that Malefor made is his target, and at the last moment, the blue hedgehog curls into a tight spinning ball, smashing the dead center of the large gem. Shock fills everyone's eyes, as gold rings, and not green shards of the shattered crystal, are strewn across the entire Great Lawn. The other thing that surprises them is Sonic is gone. Only a fiery trail, leading from the quickly regenerated crystal to the eastern forest, allows anyone to guess which direction the speedster left in a hurry.

Malefor quickly lands next to Ampere, hoping she was watching, knowing her talents for seeing things other cannot.

"What the hell just happened?" He asks, and knows he's gonna get his answer, seeing the shock still written on her face.

"That pouch IS impressive!" The Head Palace Guard remarks, reaching down and grasping one of the rings that landed by her feet. With her incredible eyes, Ampere saw the hedgehog replace the contents of his special pouch, filling it with every single shard of Malefor's green crystal.

"He fit the whole damn thing in there, Malefor..." The yellow dragoness remarks, staring at the trail of fire smoldering a straight line towards the forest. "...what's he plan on doing with all those crystals?"

Malefor takes a second to put it together, and shock fills his eyes.

"By the Ancestor!" He remarks, looking towards the east. "I hope he doesn't give them all to Spyro at once!"

Suddenly the ground begins to rumble, and Malefor gives Ampere a very concerned look.

"Oh shit...He Did!" He says softly, then grasps the young dragon tightly and lowers to the ground

"EVERYONE GET DOWN!"

* * *

><p><strong>A quick thank you to Nightshade1712, and hope you enjoyed seeing your character in a different story. A friendly way of letting you know that your support has made a new hero. I know he is not exactly how you see him, but he is still young. <strong>

**Words of encouragement, good or bad, can influence life, and not just a fanfiction story about a video game. Knowing that someone is reading your work, and not just enjoying it, but wanting to be a part of it, is a boost to anyone's Spirit. **

* * *

><p><strong>As for the story, the greatest hero in the world will finally be rediscovered next chapter, and most of us already know who that is...MOM!<strong>

**Please review, I would love a bit more spirit for these final chapters**


	42. Unbridled Spirit

Chapter 42: Unbridled Spirit

Lying under a canopy of brush, two dragons begin to feel the overwhelming emotion that comes with the thought of certain death. The entire ape army is marching towards the camouflaged area that Nightshade and Spyro are hiding under, and both can sense the helplessness of their situation.

"What are we gonna do?" The young Shadow dragon remarks softly, hoping that Spyro has some plan of action, but with the sudden sigh that comes from the purple dragon, Nightshade can tell he has no course of action to take either.

"I don't wanna die, Spyro!" The young dragon suddenly cries, and the pain of his emotions hurt Spyro more than the sting of poison still pulsing in his veins.

"Then you must leave now, Nightshade!" The Great hero replies, using the little strength he has left to place his paw on the young dragon's flank, and transferring the remaining magic in his body to him.

"Please...just...go!"

Spyro passes out cold, and Nightshade begins to cry.

"But I can't!" He says with tears pouring from his eyes, looking down at the near lifeless purple dragon.

Nightshade reaches down and grabs Spyro's front paws, lifting them in the air, and sliding his back under the gold scales of his chest.

"What...are...you...doing?" The purple dragon struggles to say, waking as his body is moved by the young Shadow dragon. "I...said...LEAVE ME!"

However, with a quick glance of his green eyes, and the sudden hoisting of his body, the purple dragon knows his request has found deaf ears.

"I WON'T!" He says with pure pride in his voice.

"I don't want to die Spyro..." Nightshade pauses and lowers his head, knowing this is going to be his last choice in life, however it is a choice he would make every time.

"...but I don't want to LIVE, if that means I leave you alone, to die!"

Spyro can feel pure resolve in the teenage Shadow dragon, and in his focuses as he scans for the best exit from this situation. Nightshade crouches down and folds his wings back to secure Spyro tightly.

"Hold on!" The black and gray dragon remarks, and Spyro can feel his hind legs rocking back, ready to leap out into the open. The purple dragon uses what little strength he has to cinch his grip on Nightshade's back.

However, just as the young dragon is about to leap, a thunderous explosion rings in their ears, and both dragons are knocked from under their camouflaged hiding spot.

Only startled from the surprising shock wave, Nightshade is back to his feet fast, and spins around to the purple dragon lying beside him.

"Spyro..." He barks, but his voice is silenced fast by the sight behind the purple hero.

The entire army of apes is standing only twenty yards away, with a tall thin gorilla leading them.

"So...you finally decided to show yourself!" The head of the ape army remarks, holding a hand up for his army to hold their fire.

"A very fine display of power for a young dragon, but as you can see, your efforts meant nothing."

"If that's what you believe!" The black dragon barks defiantly, stepping between the massive army and the purple hero.

The large gorilla turns his head slowly, showing Nightshade a very angered look.

"So be it!" He says softly, then smiles.

In the blink of an eye, the extremely skilled warrior lifts his bow from his shoulder, grasps an arrow with his other hand, draws it back full, and fires.

Nightshade freezes by his sudden action to strike, and Spyro panics, as he can see this arrow's point is on target for his heart.

"STOP!" The purple dragon barks, leaping from his tired feet, grasping the dark dragon, and spinning around in one quick move. His hold on time is brief in such a weak state, but it was enough to place himself in front of the arrow's path.

Nightshade's eyes witness only the changing of his perspective, then he is startled beyond belief as the lifeless dragon, that was behind him only a second ago, collapses across his back.

"Go now...Please!" The purple dragon begs, trying to lift himself from the young dragon's back. However, the pain of a deep penetrating arrow in his shoulder, weighs him down too much, and the young dragon is helpless to move from under Spyro's dead weight.

Suddenly an extra amount of force is applied to the purple dragon, as this new leader of the Ape army holds Spyro's neck down with his foot.

"You have lost hero!" The angry gorilla barks at the purple dragon, drawing a sword from his side, and placing it against the back of Spyro's neck.

"My regret is that the only one who will witness me killing the Great Purple Dragon, is going to die shortly afterward!"

However, the Ape Leader couldn't be more wrong. There was another witness to this attack, miles away, and looking for his second-best friend.

Spyro suddenly smiles hearing an incoming noise that is familiar to only him. A whistling sound of fast movement, followed by the thunder of hurricane force winds, and finally the unremarkable noise of destruction left in his wake. The purple dragon glances up and can see a small blue dot getting closer in a big damn hurry.

Before Spyro can draw a breath of relief, Sonic smashes his wrecking ball of a body through the large gorilla standing on his friend's neck. In a step, Sonic stops short, and waits for the large simian to fall to the ground, staring at the rest of his army with eyes of steel.

The ape Leader gasps for air, but the hedgehog-sized hole burrowed through his chest, is making that a difficult task.

"What took you so long?" Spyro grunts with a genuine tone in his voice that reeks of sarcasm, and Sonic laughs, firing back his own response in humor.

"I went shopping before I stopped by, and you should have seen the line of dragons I had to wait behind..." He replies, slapping the pouch on his belt, and releasing thousands of broken shards of turquoise crystal. "...just to get these for you!

Spyro and Nightshade's eyes open wide, filling with the magical light of ancestral power, and both dragons take a deep breath as their energy already begins to recharge.

However, Spyro suddenly feels the difference in these blueish-green gems, and a subtle voice begins to speak to him. His arms and legs tighten up, securing Nightshade to his gold chest in an uncontrolled embrace, as a sudden jolt of power overwhelms the purple dragon.

Sonic becomes a bit concerned as the ground begins to vibrate. The shock in his eyes increases as Spyro rears up onto his legs, still holding the smaller black dragon against his chest, then lets out a primal yell.

Nightshade also yelps, but from pain. Spyro's tight grip sinks his sharp talons into the young dragon's gray chest, and the voices he can hear, are the same that speak to Spyro now. As a Shadow dragon, Nightshade is overwhelmed with the slew of elemental techniques, none of which he can do, but is forced to hear them all.

Fire, Ice, Wind, Water, Earth, Electricity, and even Convexity...all of the elements a purple dragon can command...are shouted into the mind of a simple Shadow dragon.

The elemental powers are shown in a flash of energy and light, and the onslaught of this ancestral knowledge is too much for Nightshade to handle. He quickly passes out, as Spyro continues to increase his power without control.

The purple dragon, hearing all these elemental techniques as well, also hears an ancestral voice he is not familiar with either. It speaks of a power he never knew he could control, and reminds him of what he is holding in his paws...Shadow Power!

The ape army, still stunned from watching their second leader fall, begin to frenzy. They charge the glowing dragons and hedgehog with blades and clubs drawn. However, as they close in, the power coming from Spyro and Nightshade begins to build up, pushing them back, and shaking the ground more violently than before.

Spyro, knowing what will happen in mere moments, turns his head to Sonic.

"Run!" He says, knowing he will not be able to control the release of power his body will give off, a side effect of learning new techniques. However the blue hedgehog understands this simple message, and leaves in a hurry.

Spyro, seeing the trail of dust from his friend, relaxes his body, allowing this transfer of knowledge to complete itself. He is immediately put into a trance of power, and his pupils disappear from his eyes. Spyro and Nightshade begin to levitate from the ground, still building up a great amount of energy from these special Magic crystals, laced with Ancestral knowledge.

"Hold on, my young friend...It is almost over!" Spyro remarks, hearing the moan of exhaustion from the black dragon in his grasp. "However, you must relax Nightshade, and let this power flow...or it will kill you."

The purple dragon pulls his talons from Nightshade's chest, then wraps his arms completely around him. With a better control of this energy now, Spyro lowers his head down to Nightshade's ear, and tries to calm him.

"I promise to protect you...just like you did for me!" He says softly, sending a calmness into the young dragon, allowing the energy to flow more smoothly.

Nightshade's eyes open, as he stops fighting the powerful energy, and his green pupils suddenly disappear like Spyro's. In a blink of their white eyes, both dragons explode with energy, sending a powerful shock wave in all directions.

Spyro and Nightshade hear the teaching of a new ancestor, one with four million years of experience in all of the elements...Malefor. His voice rings in Spyro's head, teaching the purple dragon many new ways to exploit his power, and the young hero smiles...absorbing it all.

Nightshade, also listening to the knowledge of the former Dark Master, can hear of Shadow powers he couldn't even imagine. These thoughts cascade into the avalanche of power that continues to spread out.

The remaining apes are helpless to run from the expanding dome of energy, and they are wiped from the face of Avalar once more.

Sonic, already standing over a mile away, turns and runs again, realizing the shock-wave will not stop before his position. At breakneck speed, the blue hedgehog stays just a few yards from the leading edge of this explosion of power.

In the Great Lawn, Malefor has built a shield to protect the families, this time drawing a large slab of stone straight up from the ground. Several yards thick, and twenty feet tall, this blockade should provide enough deflection if Spyro's power reaches the lawn with any strength, and quickly it does.

Over ten miles from the epicenter, the shock-wave was only a fraction of its initial power, but it was still strong enough to shake the thick wall.

The large purple dragon looks back at the hundreds of cheetahs, manweresmalls, and dragons, showing appreciation again in the purple dragon's quick thinking, however, one voice, filled with anger, comes from the other side.

"OWWWW!" Sonic barks, after slamming into a stone wall that was not there a minute ago. "MALEFOR...YOU STINK!"

However inside the domed city of New Warfang, three dragons feel Spyro's power explode, and all three stop their fight, staring towards the east.

* * *

><p>Ten minutes earlier.<p>

Three young whelplings shake with uncontrollable fear, buried under a landslide of rock. Unable to move or see, they can only hear the taunting laughter of the dragon that is trying to kill the one protecting them.

"Is everyone OK?" Sparx asks, holding his stone wings out, keeping the avalanche of earth from crushing the three dragons his namesake saved a year ago.

"Yeah!" the three whelplings whimper together, terrified by the pure evil they saw in dark Tycor's eyes.

"wrrer fiiin to!" comes a muffled voice from his hind paws, and with the subtle movements in both feet, Sparx knows his grandparents are alive as well.

"Try to calm down." The young dragon remarks into Catarina's ear. "I'm gonna need you to be strong, and take care of your brother and sister, along with my grandparents."

"Me!" She replies, still shuttering from fear, realizing he is going to leave her alone.

Sparx places his paw upon her shoulder, gently rubbing the side of her neck to calm the young dragoness.

"You're parents put their trust in you..." He remarks, and Catarina begins to recall the worst decision she thinks they ever made, beleiving that she failed her task miserably.

"...and that trust was fulfilled, by a young dragon that didn't show panic when she had to move her sister and brother in a storm..."

Sparx lifts his body, allowing him to spin Catarina around to face him.

"...I promise..." The young dragon says holding her tightly in his arm, and staring into her eyes.

"...there will be no dam to break, and I will not let him take your family from your grasp!"

Catarina holds her breath, then hugs the stone dragon keeping her brother and sister safe.

"I won't fail this time..." she says, pulling back from her embrace, and showing the same resolve she showed her parents, the day they left for Dragoon Bay.

"...I will keep them safe!"

Suddenly, another voice is heard in the stone pile, one that perks all three whelplings ears.

"GET AWAY FROM MY KIDS, YOU BASTARD!" Nick barks, running full speed at the dragon that buried his children in stone.

"DADDY!" Nicholas yelps, hearing the sound of his father's voice, however, the small whelpling begins to cry, as the next sound he hears, is his father's pain.

"NO!" Catarina barks, hearing the same noise, knowing her father is now taking on a dragon that outclasses him in all regards.

Sparx, on the other hand, becomes enraged, and lifts his body higher.

"Cover yourselves, and be ready to run!" He growls, as his eyes begin to glow white, and his body returns to its natural color.

Dark Tycor, staring at the green and blue dragon he quickly brushed to the side, has his attention returned to the pile of rock. A smile fills the narrow muzzle of this brown and black snake-patterned dragon, seeing the rocks begin to surge up, knowing his prize is unharmed and ready to fight.

Nick, lying against the stone wall of a small hut he was thrown into, also smiles. Even though he is in great pain from a tremendous impact, he can see his children, as Sparx blasts the rocks away from his body. He can see Nicholas and Gianna are curled up tightly, using their wings to surround each other, meanwhile, their very protective sister is lying across the top of them, using her wings to cover what they cannot.

Suddenly the two-toned purple dragon, standing above his children, leaps at the dragon ten times his size, forcing him away from the young whelplings.

Nick staggers back to his feet, and chases after his daughter, who herself has grabbed her brother and sister in her front paws, then took off towards the palace as ordered.

"CATARINA!" The worried father barks, stopping the dragoness of his color in mid-flight. She pauses for only a second to look back, then continues her path towards the palace doors.

"Hurry Dad!" The young dragon yells, sliding to a stop on the marble entrance of the great palace, and turning around again to watch her father.

"RUN!" She yells again, seeing her father limping slowly through the Eastern Square of the city.

Sparx and Tycor continue to exchange elemental attacks in the foreground. Making his task of crossing the wide open area much more challenging. Spurts of Fire, Bolts of Lightning, Shards of Earth and Ice continually slam the ground around him, but Nick does not stop his charge. His daughter's eyes call him through this gauntlet of death, knowing that any impact now will spell certain death. The green and blue dragon, hobbles his way towards his children, pulled by an overwhelming desire to hold them.

"DADDY...NO!" Catarina yelps, suddenly seeing a ball of fire bearing down on his position.

He turns his head in time to see the end of his life coming, however, before the heat can even singe his wings, Catarina leaps out of the doorway, and bellows the coldest breath of Ice power she's ever unleashed.

The ball of Fire freezes solid, impacting the ground beside them both. Ice and smoke fly from the ground, peppering the light purplish-colored wings, that Catarina held out shield him. The force, however, still throws the young dragoness into her father, and both fall over on the ground.

"I got you Dad!" She whispers hard into her father's ear, embracing him tightly as she covers him again with her wings.

Nick, is startled by his daughter's poise, but nonetheless folds her wings back, and grasps her tightly against his chest with his left arm.

"No...I got you this time!"

However, up in the air, Dark Tycor noticed the wince of fear in Sparx' eyes, as Catarina was knocked from her feet.

"You're as dumb as your fathers!" The massive dragon remarks, swatting his paw, and connecting across the distracted dragon's jaw.

"You will lose this fight because you care too much for these inferior creatures..." He says, showing the glowing power of Convexity building in the back of his throat, then turning to face Nick and Catarina.

"...let me just get rid of them now, so I have your complete attention!"

"NO!" Sparx yells, as the Dark Master releases the purple ball of energy.

The powerful son of Spyro quickly changes his body to the only thing that can catch this attack, and strikes the ground as a bolt of lightning in front of the two blue-green dragons.

Sparx is immediately struck by the ball of Fury from the Dark Master. A powerful blast, intended for the young purple dragon. He knew full well the son of Spyro would stop this attack, and made sure to use enough power to incapacitate him.

The two toned purple dragon falls on his back, and his eyes being to roll up into his head.

"NO...SPARX!" Catarina yells, snapping the young dragon's attention to her, as she stands over him.

However, as he focuses his vision on her face, she is suddenly smacked across the jaw by the angry dragon landing beside his prize.

Nick jumps to his feet, seeing his daughter fly into one of the stone pillars lining the Great Palace, and leaps at the larger brown dragon, but he is met with the same force.

Sparx shows his anger, however Tycor drops his paw across the young dragon's chest, digging his talons deep into the gold scales of his frame, and holding him with all of his weight.

The two-toned dragon screams with pain, and Tycor slams his other paw down on Sparx' muzzle, pouring his essence down his open mouth.

The young dragon suddenly feels the same pain he experienced the day Spyro met the new Malefor, and the lethargic sensation of losing control of his body again, just like he felt on the portal station for over a month.

"I will not fail to take my prize..." Dark Tycor arrogantly remarks, staring into the hopeless eyes of Sparx. "...your father and my brother are gone, and no one here is strong enough to save you this time!"

The young dragon turns his attention to Catarina and Nick, both laying unconscious beside one another, then looking to the Palace Doors, and seeing the same helpless stare in Grandparent's eyes, as well as the younger whelplings. Sparx looks back up at the Dark Master, and can see the smile building on his face, knowing he must take a breath soon.

"_What do I do, Malefor?"_ He asks himself, hoping for any reply from the one that taught him so much, but nothing comes to his mind.

Dark Tycor digs his talons deeper into Sparx's chest, forcing him to take a breath, and the young dragon feels more control slip from his body, as he inhales a vast amount of the Dark Master's poison.

"_I'm sorry, Dad...I failed!"_ He continues to say to himself, taking another breath that he cannot control, and losing more feeling in his soul.

"_I'm sorry...MOM..."_ He says with his last true thought, knowing his body is about to take another uncontrolled breath.

"_...I love you!"_

As Sparx begins to take his last breath, Dark Tycor's paw suddenly comes off his muzzle. He holds it up to cover his face from an intense wave of heat. The young dragon can feel his other paw leave his chest, also moving up to protect his face.

"What the hell!" The Dark Master barks, feeling a scorching heat burning his body, but coming from nowhere. The intense beam begins burning the paws covering his face, and Dark Tycor begins to freak out.

"WHERE IS THIS COMING FROM!"

The Master of Elements turns his body to pure stone, hoping the burn will stop, but it does not, and suddenly the beam is focused into his face again.

The Dark Master rears up on his hind legs, towering over the broken purple whelpling, and trying desperately to stop this pin-point beam of intense heat, from burning his face.

Suddenly the Dark Master can feel a more intense pain in his chest, and the eerie sound of steel hitting rock. As he looks down, shock fills his eyes, seeing the familiar tail blade of a former puppet, stuck half-way through his chest.

Barely able to breathe, his eyes focus on the distortion of Light standing before him. Her silhouette is easy to spot, but the voice shocks him to the core.

"_How does that feel...MY MASTER?"_ Cynder's voice bellows, but only in his mind, and Dark Tycor's eyes open wide as she suddenly exposes herself.

From the edge of her tail-blade, still stuck in his chest, the former Terror of the Sky reappears before her master in white scales. It confuses him quickly, seeing features that don't show him the dragon he stole from birth, as her eyes are now light purple and not green. But it is her scarlet-red chest and wings, that gives the Shadow dragon's identity away to her former master.

"Cydner?"

His voice is as questioning as the look in his eyes, and the young dragoness just lowers her head slightly in acknowledgment.

Suddenly, the white dragoness, yanks her blade from Tycor's chest, and grabs his lowered jaw in the same movement.

"You have taken your last Spirit...MY MASTER..." She says, holding him muzzle to muzzle with little effort, and the Dark Master balks at her incredible strength.

As a dragon of solid stone, Tycor should be unmovable, however, the Dragoness one-quarter his size is man-handling him to hold his eyes focused on hers.

"...and I am damn sure...that you will not be taking my SON!"

Cynder then flings the forty ton dragon, made of stone, with a single paw, slamming him into the wall of the Great Fortress.

The white dragoness looks down at Sparx, and can see the restlessness in his body, as he took in a decent helping of the Dark Master's power. Cynder places her paw on his chest, quickly healing the three holes left from Tycor's talons, then places her other paw on his forehead.

"Easy my baby...Mommy is here!" She remarks softly.

Sparx settles with her touch, and her calming voice. A smile fills his face, and the young dragon opens his eyes. However he is startled by her appearance, and Cynder notices quickly.

In a blink, her scales return to their former dark color, and she grabs her son tightly.

"It's me baby..." She says feeling his trembling, and hoping that seeing her real self will calm him, which it does.

"...you don't need to worry anymore, I will not let him take you!"

"I love you Mom!" He says, still feeling the emotions of almost losing himself, and visualizing her face before the end had come.

Cynder glides her paw from his forehead across the bridge of his nose, making him smile more as she tickles him with the tip of her talon. Feeling like he was a baby again, the young dragon relaxes in his mother's care, showing her the incredible appreciation in her efforts with only his eyes.

However, Cynder becomes focused, looking back to the large dragon slowly rising to his feet. Her eyes return to a light shade of purple, and the scales of her body begin to fade to white.

Dark Tycor shows fear, and Cynder smirks back to her former master, the way he would smile at her, however, as his eyes turn towards the two unconscious dragon, Cynder smartly realizes his cowardly course of action.

The white and red dragoness barks and order, while making a sudden movement with her wings, and the Dark Master flinches his attention back to her.

"Get them inside, Sparx!" She remarks sternly, looking at Catarina and Nick, and gesturing her muzzle to the Palace. "I don't want him to have anyone here to hurt...but myself!"

"But Mom!" He replies, and Cynder presses down on his shoulder, then shows her angry eyes to him. In a heartbeat, Sparx is lame, the young dragon lowers his head feeling like he is a baby once more.

"Yes ma'am!" He says, turning to the young dragon and her father. However, before he can get a step away, Cynder grabs Sparx from behind, and holds him to her chest.

"I love you, Sparx!" She whispers, sending a vast amount of Spirit into her child, filling his soul with her essence, making sure the Dark Master is cleaned from his heart.

"_Be strong for me!"_ She says to her son's mind, then lays him down upon his paws.

Cynder tears off towards Dark Tycor, seeing his eyes focus upon the two injured dragons once more, and knowing his way of using the innocent to hurt the strong.

The white dragoness slams her left forearm against Tycor's chest, forcing him back against the wall he just smacked with his head.

"Why do you always attack the weak?" She rhetorically asks with rage in her voice, pressing Tycor against the stone wall hard enough to crack it further. His eyes focus upon hers, as they show such hatred, that he cannot ignore them.

"You took an egg that didn't belong to you, and forced that young dragon to do unspeakable things..." Cynder continues with a shriek in her voice, using Fear to enhance her words, and frightening the Dark Master further.

"...now that child stands before you, and is fully able to take her revenge!"

Dark Tycor, reeling from terror, freezes solid as Cynder wraps her paw around his neck.

"But, I will not kill you...yet!" She remarks, staring into his eyes, and turning her head slightly to peer into his soul.

"You still have something that doesn't belong to you!"

Dark Tycor becomes enraged, but even with adrenaline pumping through his veins, the large dragon cannot budge Cynder's arms from his chest and throat.

"So...do you plan to hold me here forever?" The Dark Master asks with a taunting voice, hoping to enrage her to make a mistake, but Cynder just smiles at the large dragon, and forces her arm deeper into his black chest scales.

"No..." She replies, then stares into his eyes once more. "...I plan on taking back the soul you have stolen...before I kill you!"


	43. Drawing Evil from a Stone Dragon

Chapter 43 Drawing Evil from a Stone Dragon

* * *

><p>Cynder's light-purple eyes are locked on the Dark Master's, and her forearm holds the brown and black dragon, he controls, against the wall. Her other paw, still secured around his throat, begins to glow with an eerie light, and both dragons becomes entranced within each others stare.<p>

"_You have held Tycor, long enough...My Master!"_ Her voice echoes in his head, and the Dark Master tries to speak, but cannot.

"_I will force you into the open..." _ She shrieks with her Fear, driving the evil master inside of Tycor to near madness. _"...and soon I will be able to kill...the real you...MY MASTER!"_

The Dark Master's narrow pupils, dilate further, as Cynder's scales brighten. He shows the young dragoness, he once controlled, his own fear, knowing there is nothing he can do to stop the purging of his body from Tycor.

"_How can she do this?" _ The Dark Master asks himself. _"There is no way a Shadow dragon can posses this type of power!" _

Cynder suddenly smiles, and flicks the paw around his throat up, lifting his lowering head to focus on her grin.

"_I am not a Shadow Dragon you fool!"_ She replies, answering the question he asked himself. _"Your monkeys didn't realize the true power that they took...when they stole my egg."_

Cynder pauses for a moment, recalling her first seven years under Gaul's control, and the fact that Dark Malefor was still in the Realm of Convexity when she was captured.

"_If you, or that shell of a Purple Dragon, had realized what you had...Avalar would have been crushed long ago!"_

The Dark Master's eyes begin to change, showing a flash of the brown eyes that once belonged to the Earth dragon.

"Now...I will show you the true power of a Dragon's Spirit!" She barks in his face

However before giving Dark Tycor a final blast of Spiritual energy, to clear his soul of an unwanted visitor, an explosion of her husband's power takes Cynder's attention.

Sparx, feeling his father's energy explode as well, runs from the palace, leaving the three whelplings and his grandparents with the water dragon he healed. He made sure Nick and his family were able to get deep into the bowels of the castle first, so the young dragon has no concern of his first Skylander order being fulfilled successfully.

However, he disobeys his Mother, and Cynder's eyes sharpen seeing his little frame come from the large Palace entrance.

"SPARX!" She yells, but at that moment, and with her complete lack of attention, The Dark Master makes his move.

Pushing Cynder's forceful arm from his chest, the young dragoness loses her balance, falling forward with her momentum. The brown and black dragon quickly latches his paw against the back of Cynder's neck, and spins the white dragon around, placing his other arm around her torso. Dark Tycor, with incredible force, holds her tightly to himself. He pull his paw from the back of her neck, wrapping around the front of her throat, and yanking Cynder's muzzle to face her son.

"Now what are you going to do?" He barks in her ear, then focuses his attention to Sparx, as he becomes enraged in the way he is holding his mother.

"Come on, little whelpling...I dare you!" He taunts the young dragon, posturing to attack. "I will snap her neck like a twig if you move another paw!"

The young dragon freezes still, and lowers to his stomach as tears begin to flow from his eyes.

"I'm telling you right now...If you hurt my MOM...I will kill you where you stand!" Sparx' emotions threaten with anger, and his pupils begin to fade to white.

"Calm down, Sparx!" Cynder's voice muffles out from the Dark Master's grip on her lower jaw, and he adds more force on the side of her neck.

"He cannot hurt me..." She continues, then easily removes her head from the Dark Master's grip, turning to stare into his eyes.

"...he is not strong enough to fight...a Spirit Dragon!"

Tycor's eyes open wide, as Cynder yanks her right paw from the grasp he has around her body, and she replaces it upon the large dragon's throat.

"If you want to do this the hard way..." She says to her captor, sending a pulse of energy into his neck, forcing the large dragon to let Cynder go completely.

"...I can easily accommodate you...My Master!"

Sparx watches as his mother's body flashes with power, then suddenly returns to her normal dark purple color.

"MOM!" He yelps as Cynder collapses before the Dark Master, and the young dragon leaps to her side, however his eyes focus on Tycor with surprise, as he also falls to the ground unconscious.

* * *

><p>Back in the Great Lawn, Malefor is getting the respect he never thought he would, from all the inhabitants of Avalar. In fact, the only one showing him any sign of anger, is Sonic.<p>

"Owwww, damn it!" The blue hedgehog barks with a nasally voice, placing the ice clump Malefor made for him, upon his broken nose.

"A little warning next time...that is all I ask!"

"Why Sonic... shouldn't you be watching where your running?" A voice barks from above, startling everyone's attention up to see the Great Hero, and a young shadow dragon not many recognize, open their wings for a soft landing.

"I thought you learned that lesson from my son!"

Sonic shows his friend an angry smirk, recalling the young dragon he smashed into at the portal station, feeling like he hit a stone wall that time too.

"Well...I thought you learned your lesson about facing danger alone!" Sonic retorts, zipping over to Spyro, and grasping his right wing. There are still a few small holes in this wing's membrane, and pain strikes the purple hero as Sonic grasps it.

"HEY! It's not completely healed yet...if you don't mind..." He replies, yanking the tender appendage from Sonic's gloved hand, and resting both wings against his side.

"...and...I wasn't alone this time, Sonic!" The purple dragon fires back to the equally ranked Skylander, knowing several instances in battle that the hedgehog is referring to, and the fact that Sonic was the one that saved him on almost every occasion.

"Oh this little dragon over here..." The hedgehog remarks sarcastically, gesturing his finger at Nightshade, and the teenaged Shadow dragon shows a defiant stare.

"...I guess he is one of those new...Tiny Skylanders!"

Spyro and Sonic, as Generals, both know of Gaven's new elite group of fighters...The Giants. So, hearing Nightshade called a Tiny Skylander, makes the purple dragon chuckle slightly.

Nightshade, on the other hand, is not laughing, and turns his disapproving eyes towards Spyro.

"That not very funny!" He remarks, then focuses his attention back to Sonic. The young dragon prepares a small, but warranted, reply in the form of a spurt of Shadow Fire. A very odd elemental attack, this dark blaze moves as fire would, but like the realm it comes from, it is cold as ice and will not burn.

However, as the rage of a simple insult boils under Nightshade's scales, a deeper power takes that rage and sends out an inappropriate response.

Spyro and Malefor sense the power of another purple dragon, and both are startled realizing the energy is coming from Nightshade. This odd feeling is quickly confirmed, as a pure blaze of intense flame bellows from a Shadow Dragon's muzzle.

"By the ancestor!" Malefor shouts, placing his wing directly in front of Sonic, keeping him protected from this primal blast of Fire.

Nightshade falls to the ground after using an element that he is not supposed to control, and his body lets him feel the overwhelming drain of magic that took to perform it.

"How did you do that?" The former Dark Master says with shock, staring down at the exhausted black dragon.

"I don't know!" He replies with a great deal of fear and anxiety, however a smile fills Spyro's expression, knowing exactly what has happened, because it happened to him as well.

"I was holding him, Malefor..." the purple dragon remarks to his elder. "...he heard everything the crystals told me...and vice verse!"

Spyro suddenly disappears into Shadow, and Malefor's eyes open wide, knowing that is one element he should not be able to control.

"How is this possible?" The large dragon remarks, as Spyro returns directly before his new purple friend.

"I don't know, Malefor..." he replies, then looks at the teal-colored crystal, pulsing in the middle of the Great Lawn. "...how did I hear YOUR voice from the ancestral crystals?"

Both dragons stare at each other for a second, wondering about each others powers.

"There are many things we will need to learn from one another, but that will have to wait..." The purple dragon pauses, returns his eyes to the former Dark Master, then looks at the dome covering the city.

"...right now, we need to help Cynder and Sparx!"

Malefor's eyes open wide again, and he turns his head towards the same pulsing dome of energy glowing in Spyro's eyes.

"They're in the city!" He says with fear in his word, realizing the Dark Master is there as well.

Without another word, Malefor is charging towards the canyon that leads to the East Gate of New Warfang.

"We are in trouble Spyro..." The purple dragon remarks to his counterpart, as Spyro quickly catches up to the worried dragon. "...I don't know how were gonna get in there!"

The older purple dragon has seen this shield before, inside his make-shift home in hell. A barrier of pure energy that was only passable for Malefor, allowing two former Dark Masters to meet alone under the water. A large serpent, with an incredible attitude, used this same barrier on the surface of his home, and only those who could use the Water element were able to enter. That made sure no one bothered him...unless he wished it.

"There needs to be water on both sides for us to pass through this thing." He remarks, as both dragons land before the large pulsing wall of energy.

Spyro taps his paw against the shield, quickly electrocuting himself with a vast amount of power, and he falls on his duff.

"You're not that bright are you..." The larger dragon remarks, hoisting the stunned Spyro back to his feet, and brushing the dust from his back.

"...I've noticed from time to time...you tend to do some of the dumbest things!"

Malefor walks away and places his paws on the ground twenty feet from the energy wall. He then digs his claws into the rock, and looks back at the younger purple dragon. Seeing the scowl on his face from being insulted, after getting shocked, puts a smirk on the elder dragon's features.

"I'm so thankful for that stubbornness everyday, Spyro... " He continues, lowering his head, and speaking from his heart. "... If you didn't fight such ridiculous battles... battles that would chase any other dragon to the hills...I would still be his slave."

Malefor turns his head, glancing at the entire group from the Great Lawn that have come to help BOTH purple dragons, and he smiles as he turns back to Spyro .

"I will not let down the bravest dragon I know."

Spyro's scowl is gone in an instant, and the same smile is now upon his features. However, that smile turns to shock, as Malefor lifts his paws, yanking a large chunk of granite up with his grip. Spyro steps back as the other purple dragon ignites this slab of rock with an intense flame, giving the stone a red-hot glow, then slamming the large hard scale of his tail down into the center. After a few moments of painful excavation, an empty basin is made in the large rock, with an open end resting against the side of this dome.

Malefor winks at his successor, then opens his mouth, and begins filling this makeshift pool with water.

Spyro, suddenly understanding this dragon's intelligent maneuver, begins to use his power as well to fill this large tub. However, with limited strength in this element, both dragons sigh, knowing it will take time to fill this expanse, time they don't have.

Suddenly a loud grunt comes from behind, and Spyro and Malefor's eyes open wide, as the sounds of a raging torrent of water fills their ears. Both dragons are soaked to the bone, as Monsoon fills this huge pool in seconds, with a tsunami of water from his muzzle.

"OK..." Malefor remarks, with water dripping from his nose, and a smile on his face "...Now we need to get some on the other side."

"Come here Monsoon!" Spyro remarks, turning his head towards the large blue dragon, and rubbing his eyes of the excess moisture.

"Try to push your muzzle through this shield, and fill that area with water too!"

The large blue dragon grunts with acceptance, and takes a step forward.

"SPYRO!" Malefor barks, and the younger purple dragon smiles.

"Come on...it didn't hurt that much!"

Both dragons stare at each other, and though they are smiling at Spyro's dry humor, the two are deep in thought.

Suddenly one dragon in the background, still struggling from a lack of power, lets his normally shy voice be heard.

"Just go through it Spyro!" Nightshade remarks, knowing he could use his power to get by such an easy barrier.

The purple dragon's eyes open wide, and he scans his mind for the knowledge of this Shadow technique. He has seen his wife perform this simple power herself, but there are still small gaps in his abilities, as there were so many things the young purple dragon absorbed in his trance of ancestral knowledge.

"I don't know how!"

Suddenly, Spyro eyes open again, and he smiles at the larger purple dragon.

"Wait here!" He remarks and takes off towards Nightshade, leaving Malefor somewhat speechless. In one move, Spyro scoops the younger dragon off his feet and heads back towards the Great Lawn.

"Where the hell is he going?" Malefor asks out loud, however a very large Water dragon standing beside him, has figured it out fast.

"I think he wants to learn more!" Monsoon says with a startlingly calm voice, making Malefor balk at his sudden ability to speak.

"Are you out of magic already?" The slightly larger purple dragon replies, and Monsoon smiles and places a paw on Malefor's shoulder.

"No...my friend..." He says, and the purple dragon stares directly at the Water Master after hearing the word friend.

"...a single voice has finally taught me to control it..." Monsoon continues, then pulls Malefor against his chest, embracing the dragon he has hated his entire life, for giving him something he has always wanted.

"...the voice of a very special dragon."

Meanwhile, zipping back out of the East Canyon, Spyro's eyes lock on the large green crystal Malefor made in the center of Dragonfly Park's Great Lawn.

"Are you crazy!" The young shadow dragon barks, knowing exactly what Spyro has on his mind. "You'll kill everyone if you do this here!"

Spyro begins laughing, and opens his wings to slow down, landing directly in front of the large gem twice his size.

"I'm not destroying the whole thing..." He says with a smile, allowing Nightshade to breath again.

"...we just need a little more...time together!"

Spyro smiles at the young dragon, as his eyes suddenly show a nervous excitement, and the purple dragon yanks a large crystal from the cluster. He holds it up in front of Nightshades eyes, and the young dragon becomes consumed with its power, anticipating another inflow of knowledge.

"I want you to think of nothing else but that single technique, Nightshade, and I will do the rest." Spyro orders, then places his paw on the young dragon's shoulder, turning him around, and grasping him like he did before.

"I will Spyro, but I want you to think about one thing as well..." He replies and Spyro lowers his head to listen. "...and that would be, not digging your talons into my chest. OK!"

The purple dragon blushes, remembering the wounds he left in the young dragon, wounds he was able to heal after learning how, but was embarrassed by this uncontrolled action.

"Yeah, sorry about that Nightshade...I wasn't expecting what happened..." Spyro replies to this simple but understood request, then lowers his head to the young dragon's ear again. "..but this time I am!"

Spyro pauses for a second, gripping the boy tighter, like he would if he were holding Sparx.

"And now that I am...tell me what you want to know?"

Nightshade's eyes flash with this thought, as only one element comes to his mind in an instant. Like Spyro, a single element has his complete fascination, and the young dragon has tried so hard to study the aspects of this polar opposite energy.

"Light Powers!" He replies with a child's exuberance, and Spyro takes a deep breath, seeing how much he wants to understand this element.

"I don't know much about that power, my friend!" He says, then looks at the crystal in his left paw. "I'm afraid I wouldn't be much help there."

Nightshade lowers his head with a slight rejection, then picks his spirit up quickly, realizing he's learned more the he ever thought he would already.

"It's OK Spyro. I don't need anything else." He quickly says, then grasps the purple dragon's paw holding his chest. "We don't have time to figure out what I want, so just do it!"

Spyro tightens his grip again, and pecks the young dragon on his head.

"You will hear everything I know about Light..." He says, and smashes the crystal on the ground. "...and I will tell you all about my favorite element as well."

* * *

><p>Stranded in the desert of his soul, a young Earth dragon shivers from the cool winds he cannot find cover from. This cold breeze chills him to the bone, making it hard for the youngster to keep his feet. Tycor stares up at the stars, shinning in the night sky, and finds Titan's constellation one more time.<p>

"Where is this ONE to help me Father?" He yells, enraged to have walked this desert of hate alone, never finding a soul to help him on his journey.

"I have not given up..." He says lowering his head to the ground, feeling the exhaustion of roaming for months in his mind, and finding nothing but sand. His voice becomes softer, and his words break from his chapped muzzle.

"...but...I am not going to last much longer."

The young brown and black dragon lays down on his stomach, and looks back up.

"I need you Dad!"

"Tycor...Tycor!" Titan's voice replies, and the young dragon watches with surprise, as his father appears before him.

"Dad!" He replies with a tone of amazement in his voice, and quickly reaches his paw out to touch him. However, as his talons pass through the surface of his body, he realizes his mind is playing tricks again, and this is just another figment of his imagination.

His head lowers, and tears pour from his eyes, knowing the Dark Master is only toying with his puppet's mind, controlling him physically and mentally.

"I miss you!" He says, however his father shockingly slaps him across the face, and he feels it.

"TYCOR...TYCOR!"

The Earth dragon awakes from the dream within his soul, and his eyes are now focused on a female dragon standing before him. Her green eyes shock him to the core, showing the same thing he saw the day his father died.

"Cynder" He replies, feeling the vines holding his arms secured from striking her, and wondering why he is seeing the Terror of the Sky in his mind. However, his eyes soon tear up, and his heart begins to fill with the pains of past memories.

"I guess you are here to drive another stake in my heart." He somberly continues, believing she is just another apparition of the Dark Master's crushing attack on his soul. "Must I see my parents die again...maybe you can just finish the job you started ten years ago..."

Cynder suddenly grasps the Earth dragon's muzzle, getting him to stop babbling, and staring into his eyes. She reads his thoughts like a book, and quickly soothes the Earth Dragon with a staggering flood of emotional Spirit.

"You have found the ONE!" She says after hearing his dream, and suddenly Tycor can feel the sand under his feet once more.

The Earth dragon looks down at himself, seeing he is boy again, and that nothing is holding him back. However, when he looks at Cynder this time, he does not feel the urge he has had his entire life...to strike at the one that killed his family. Instead, a deep feeling of love suddenly consumes him, as Cynder lifts the young dragon in her arms, and holds him like her son.

"I'm here to guide you through this desert!"

Chills run down the snake-patterned scales of Tycor's entire body, and not from the cold touch of this bitter desert breeze, but from the feel of a mother's grasp.

Suddenly, Cynder's arms are pulled from his body, and she is dragged away by an unseen force.

Tycor's eyes open, and again, he is back in the forest. The adult dragon can see his vines of hatred have begun to entwine her as well. They pull Cynder's paw from his muzzle, breaking the Spiritual connection she had made, and dropping Tycor's Spirit back to hopelessness.

"TYCOR!" Cynder yells, struggling with thousand of cable-like vines, trying to pull her further from the entangled Earth Dragon.

"You must fight..." She continues, until several thinner vines swing down, wrapping around Cynder's narrow muzzle, and sealing her mouth tightly.

"HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE, CYNDER!" The Dark Master's voice barks suddenly, as his swirling body of pure evil develops before her sparkling green eyes. The dark purple dragoness just smirks at him, as the vines keeping her from saying something sarcastic.

"He is my new Terror of the Sky..." The Dark Master exclaims, placing his hand around her throat. "...and you are no longer needed!"

Cynder shows no emotion or pain in her eyes, and it enrages the Dark Master. He squeezes her throat harder, but realizes Cynder's neck is not compressing with his stronger grip. Suddenly the eyes he's looking at flash with power, and fade to that light purple color he saw before. Panic ensues, as Cynder's scales return to a bright shade of white, reminding the Dark Master of the freakish dragon that he couldn't stop.

The bound dragoness quickly forces her left paw from the constricting vines, and grasps the arm of pure energy holding her throat. With little effort, and a lot of pain for the Dark Master, Cynder twists his arm back, pulling his grip from her neck. Her other arm removes itself from the binding vines, just as easy, and she pulls the makeshift muzzle from her mouth.

"No...My Master..." She says with her freed voice, and stares deep into his soul.

"...YOU...ARE NO LONGER NEEDED!"

With a blast of insane power, the vines explode from around the white and red dragon. A smile creeps across her face, seeing more fear in the Dark Master's eyes.

"This is the Spirit World you fool!" Cynder remarks with sarcasm, then suddenly disappears.

"_I make the rules here!" _

Her voice whispers in his mind, and The Dark Master's eyes open wide. He looks around this dense forest of Tycor's mind, trying to keep his nerves settled, fearing a sudden truth.

The energy he possesses is Spiritual in nature, but his only understanding of this extraordinary power is fear and repression. Opposite of Spyro's use of Convexity, he is using a bright power in a very dark way. If he were to understand what Cynder was at birth, and let her find this inner power first, he would've discovered the limits of his own potential.

He had only heard of a dragon like this, and Diamond was his first target two thousand years ago, however, seeing the power that Malefor demonstrated in battle against him, the Dark Master was quick to choose the Purple Dragon instead.

Believing that brute strength is all that was necessary to hold the reigns of this planet, he never thought twice to find the albino he initially came to find. And now...as Cynder reappears before his eyes, slashing her tail blade across his chest...a sudden realization of this mistake, fills his black heart.

"_I am not in control here!"_ He says to himself, and the white dragoness snaps her eyes to his.

"NO...YOU'RE NOT, MY MASTER..." Cynder quickly replies to his thought, staring deep into his fear-filled soul.

"...I AM!"


	44. You're Fighting the Wrong Dragon

Chapter 44 You're Fighting the Wrong Dragon

Spyro, holding a smiling black dragon in his arms, is heading back to the group with haste. He can still hear the faint echo of Nightshade's thoughts, added to Malefor's voice, teaching the purple dragon a very powerful technique.

He smiles himself, thinking of the many ways Cynder has scared him in the past, by using this exact skill.

The Shadow dragoness would pass through a door he was about to walk into, and Spyro was never able to sense her coming. She would startle him, then comfort his fear with a powerful embrace. After a while, she would just watch from a distance, as he began to flinch at every door in the temple.

Spyro would see her laughing down the hall, and he would walk to that door with disgust on his face, but a big smile inside.

However, every once in a while, Cynder would show her power to Spyro, and come through the door anyway. It would scare him senseless, seeing his girlfriend inches from his face, after she was fifty feet from him only a second ago.

It was her way of showing Spyro; he was never able to keep her, if she wanted to leave...but that thought never crossed either of the entranced dragon's minds. Now, seeing the shield keeping him from his love, and their child, the smile slowly leaves his face.

"Spyro..." Nightshade barks, gasping the purple arm from holding him tighter. "...you're hurting me again!"

But the purple dragon barely loosens his grip, until he gets close to the ground. Spyro releases the young Shadow Master, making his way towards the two largest dragons on Avalar...Malefor and Monsoon.

The dragon to the right is his target, and his blue eyes open wide as Spyro shows no sign of slowing down. Monsoon turns his head towards Malefor, showing him the fear of this sudden attack from a friend, however, before Malefor can move a muscle, the purple dragon slams into Monsoon's dark blue chest.

The larger of the two is doused with water, as Monsoon takes what seemed like a full impact, however, the purple dragon is shocked as just a small amount of liquid hits his face. His eyes open after taking only a splash of water, and Malefor is shocked at what he sees, or doesn't for that matter.

Monsoon and Spyro are gone.

Only a few wisps of black shadow remain, and the purple dragon is beside himself. However, his attention is suddenly grasped once more, this time by the sound of the dome of energy sparking behind him.

Malefor turns around quickly, and a smile fills his face, seeing Spyro sitting on his butt again. He and Monsoon are on the other side, and the purple dragon has his paw stretched out to the boundary.

"Like I said...Not the brightest dragon..." He remarks, and bows his head. Malefor looks up from his lowered position, locking eyes with the true hero of Avalar

"...but most definitely the bravest!"

A smile fills Spyro's face, and he places his talons into the ground, pulling up a thinner slab of rock. Spyro, unable to move the Earth like Malefor, uses his brain, and yanks several smaller sections, making a hallow basin against the other pool of water.

The larger purple dragon frowns, seeing Spyro did that faster, and didn't burn his tail.

"Damn...Maybe you are the smartest too!"

Spyro smiles, hearing this compliment, then turns to Monsoon.

"OK big guy...fill up this pool!"

The Water Master shows Spyro a genuine look of anger, feeling he is just being used for his unique element, however, a slight smirk suddenly crosses his face.

"I'm sorry Master Spyro..." His voice rings out, and the purple dragon's eyes open with fear, hearing his voice. "...I'm tapped out!"

The purple hero looks at Malefor for an answer to this sudden problem, but the former Dark Master bites his tongue. He can see Monsoon slowly backing out of the tub, and opening his mouth. Malefor knows full well the Water dragon can talk now, but is not ruining his new friend's fun.

Suddenly he cannot help but laugh, seeing the reaction from Spyro, as he is slammed again by a huge wave of Water. The purple dragon is passed through the boundary, as both sides are surrounded by liquid, and he pops up with a look of shock in his eyes.

"HE CAN TALK NOW!" Spyro growls, grabbing Malefor by his chin horn, and pulling him down muzzle to muzzle. "Thanks for the warning...FRIEND!"

Malefor chuckles, and climbs into the pool of water beside the purple dragon.

"Look out, Spyro!"

The purple dragon squints his eyes with anger, and focuses them on Malefor.

"Good luck finding a place to sleep tonight!" He remarks, knowing that Malefor, even thought he made some friends, would be a bit hard pressed to find anywhere but Spyro's home. However there is something else Malefor knows, and he hints about it in his sarcastic reply.

"Well, you might need to find a nice place for yourself too..." The large dragon replies while turning to look at the new Fire Guardian "...especially after what Excelcius did to your cave!"

"WHAT?"

Malefor quickly dives under the surface, and passes through the barrier, but Spyro turns his head and locks eyes with the red dragon. He can see the sudden fear in his former student's features, and he quickly hunches his shoulders.

"What did you guys do to my house?"

* * *

><p>Inside the city, Sparx has his paw upon his mother's chest, trying his hardest to heal a wound that is not there. His tears will not stop flowing, as Cynder is not responsive to anything he does.<p>

"MOM!" He screams in her ear, but she doesn't even flinch.

Her scales are cold, her breathing is slow and shallow, and barely a movement comes from Cynder's closed eyes...but Tycor...that's a different story.

He is still unconscious as well, however, the Earth dragon is breathing heavily, jostling around, and Sparx can see serious Rapid Eye Movement from him. Almost like Tycor is experiencing a terrible nightmare, the speed of his REM concerns the young dragon.

Sparx positions himself between his mother and the flailing paws of the large dragon. He has no clue of the fight going on inside, but is making sure if Tycor does stand again, he will have to go through him to get to his mother.

Inside the restless dragon, is the reason for these movements, as his mother is showing the Dark Master a true power...he does not possess.

The evil energy creature is forced to hide from the white dragoness, running from tree to tree in this forest he created. He tries his best to keep from being see, but with one quick swipe of her tail, the forest is leveled, and the Dark Master stands alone.

"Cynder..." His fear-filled voice barks, and the dark energy of his body begins swirling faster, showing the Spirit dragon his deadly fears.

"...Please...have mercy!"

"Mercy?" She snaps, disappearing once more, and reappearing before his eyes.

"You must be joking!"

Cynder swings her white-hot tail blade into the Dark Master's chest, causing great pain to this creature made of pure energy.

"How is this possible?" He asks again, his voice etched with agony.

"You have no control in the Spirit World..." Cynder replies, yanking her blade from his chest, and grasping his jaw as he falls to his knees before her.

"...so as long as you stay inside of him...I will continue to control you...until you die!"

With a flick of her wrist, Cynder sends the Dark Master hurtling through the cleared forest. However, he comes to an abrupt stop, smashing into a stone wall that just suddenly appeared. His eyes focus with wonder, as the surrounding area changes before him, quickly recognizes the room he is in, and the moment playing out in history.

He is inside the temple's rookery, and three guardians lay upon the ground, but one red dragon remains, returning after his historic flight to save the world's savior.

"_Ignitus!"_

With the last bit of strength he has, the fearless head of the Guardians tries to protect the last egg...a black egg. Suddenly, several apes overwhelm him, and steal it, taking a young dragoness to begin her Dark Journey.

"_You took my childhood..."_ Cynder remarks inside the Dark Master's mind, and his eyes see many quick flashes of pain from her immediate existence.

"_...and then your puppets tried to take my Spirit!"_

Cynder's white paw grasps his neck, and the Dark Master is lifted off the ground. She turns him to face her, then slams him back first against the wall. The scenery changes again, and once more Cynder's voice barks with anger in his head

"_Do you remember this place? This is where you tried to take me from my family!"_

His eyes scan the area, seeing a massive entertainment center to his left, just beyond the fire pit steadily burning the fire Spyro left for his wife. A large display case to the right, with a portrait of a yellow dragonfly above.

Then his eyes lock on the purple dragon, laying unconscious on the ground after a vicious assault by a supposed friend.

"_You came to my home, and took me from the one I love, while I was pregnant with his son!"_

Her eyes burn into the soul of the Dark Master, and he can suddenly feel his appendages being frozen in stone.

"For that...I will end your life, the way you tried ending mine!"

The evil creature is perplexed by the thought of being dominated so easily, however, as his arms and legs begin to freeze into the wall, the Dark Master becomes consumed with fear.

"_I cannot lose like this...CAN I?"_

Feeling the pain of her power continually across his body, solidifying the Dark Energy that makes him what he is, the evil creature realizes, it is not impossible.

However, before the end come to his eyes, a different sight fills them with one thing he didn't notice before...TYCOR is still there.

The Earth Dragon is bound in the corner, unable to move, but that is not what catches his eye. It is the pulsing power that seems to match the energy Cynder is putting out.

Without thinking, so the white dragoness cannot hear his thoughts, The Dark Master uses his last bit of power to fire a pulse of Convexity at the near lifeless dragon.

Cynder's eyes open with shock, seeing this blast heading for the dragon she is using to power this Spiritual assault from inside. She quickly lowers her paw from the Dark Master, heading towards the bound dragon, but is unable to stop this attack it in time.

Tycor's bound frame is struck with an overload of power, sending both he and Cynder into agonizing pain.

The Dark Master pulls himself from this Spiritual tomb, and walks over to the two dragons convulsing with his energy.

"You want to know the difference between you and I, Cynder..." He remarks to the shuttering white dragoness. "...I don't need the Spirit World to be powerful."

The Dark Master viciously kicks the red chest of the dragoness that tried to kill him, but does no more than laugh at her inability to fight back now. He returns his attention to the bound Earth dragon still pulsing with his Convexity.

"As long as you stay alive, she will be held there with your pain..." He remarks, and turns away. However, after only a step he stop, and glances back to Tycor.

"...and when you can no longer take this energy...and you die..." The Dark Master then looks down at Cynder.

"...She will die with you!"

The evil creature suddenly disappears, and with him the bindings fall from Tycor's body.

No longer being held up by his puppet-strings, the Earth master falls face forward landing adjacent to the pulsing white dragoness.

"What do we do Cynder?" He asks, hoping she has any answer, but only painful yelps come from her muzzle. She is unable to speak, pulling most of the power to herself, knowing her ability to take Dark Magic is better than a simple Earth Dragon.

* * *

><p>On the outside, Sparx notices the REM sleep of Tycor has stopped abruptly, and he gets to his feet expecting the large dragon to wake. However, shock fills his eyes as his mouth slowly opens, and a mist he has seen once before begins to pour out.<p>

This Dark Mist billows by the gallon, manifesting itself into a being of pure energy.

"Ahhhhh!" The Dark Master remarks, stretching the body he has not used since his fight months ago with his brother Thomas.

"Damn dragons, and their small bodies!"

Suddenly his attention is grasped, realizing Sparx is to his left, crouched down into attack position.

"You...you are the worst, little whelpling!" He sarcastically remarks, remembering an entire month in the young dragon, and unable to move an inch.

"What are you talking about?" Sparx replies, experiencing a very weird sensation of déjà vu, looking into the eyes he cannot get out of his head. He knows something about what happened to him, but it is still vague, and Diamond never got a chance to speak of his dreams.

"I should say thank you!" The Dark Master continues, again with a sarcastic tone. He begins to stroll around the young dragon, keeping his eyes locked on him, and showing a very sinister smile.

"If I didn't place a bit of myself inside of you...I might have died when my brother made his dumb sacrifice."

The Dark Master smiles as this thought sinks into Sparx' head.

"It is you fault that I am here, young one..." He continues to taunt, trying to get into the young dragon's mind.

Then he looks at Cynder laying beside his paws.

"...and you are the reason...your mother will be dead in a moment!"

Sparx blasts off his feet, lowering his head, and driving his horns into the throat of this energy creature, however, an unthinkable fear fills the two-toned dragon's heart, as he passes straight thought him.

A vast amount of energy burns Sparx' frame, as he passes through the translucent creature. The Dark Master grasps Sparx tail upon clearing his body, and he holds the devastated whelpling before his eyes.

"I bet that hurt!" He remarks, seeing the draining affects his body had on him, then drills the young dragon with a very powerful punch from his other hand. Sparx is thrown into one of the marble columns lining the palace, and he falls to the ground hold his chest from an impact that overwhelms him.

"But not as much as that!"

The Dark Master smiles as Sparx' eyes slowly close, and he looks down at the young dragon's mother.

"See Cynder...I am more powerful in the Real World, and now...I shall prove it to you!"

The large energy creature lowers his hand to face both unconscious dragons, and a ball of energy begins to build in his palm. However, before he can unleash this life ending attack on his mother and Tycor, Sparx eyes reopen without pupils, and the scales down his back turn white.

A sudden moment of clarity strikes him, seeing the evil creature that possessed his thoughts for over a month, and tried to keep him from realizing his dreams.

Sparx kicks his feet off the column he slammed into, flying full speed into the Dark Master again, but the large creature does nothing to stop him.

Completely secure with his own self, the Dark Master thinks nothing of the little dragon's attack, believing nothing he can do will hurt him. Until Sparx increases his power output, and lowers his shoulder.

The Dark Master is shocked, sensing this build up, but has no recourse to the sudden impact into his chest. Knocked of kilter, the Dark Master's energy ball misses his mother, and slams into the palace wall behind.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Sparx yells with a very distorted voice, continuing to throw his paws and tail into the face of the Dark Master, hitting him with a barrage of feral attacks.

The Evil Master flails his arm, swatting the angry dragon from his face, but like a wasp, Sparx returns to keep stinging the energy creature's face with non stop attacks. Unable to stop this fast-paced assault, the Dark Master backs off, and Sparx begins to calm down.

"I thought you wanted me?" The young dragon remarks, hearing the past in his mind, and the reoccurring thoughts that came from this evil symbiont. His pure white eyes focus directly at the Dark Master's cat-like pupils, recalling them in his dreams.

The creature of pure energy smiles, and nods his head slowly, seeing the power that was calling to him from the Dark Realms, a power that flooded his senses the moment Spyro and Cynder said...'I do'.

"I am ready to fight you..." The young dragon replies to his wordless answer, however the large creature builds another pulse of energy in his hand.

"NO Sparx...I will kill her right now if you don't yield!" He answers, and the young dragon does not flinch.

"I've already lost her once...and though it was painful...life went on." Sparx says somberly, looking at his mom, and wiping a tear from his eye.

"But If I do what you say...then she is dead anyway, and so am I!"

The Dark Master shows a frown hearing the young dragon bluff better then him, knowing he will not be able to dangle his mother's life before him.

However, another noise suddenly makes him a bit more insecure.

"COME ON YOU GUYS...OVER HERE!" Spyro's voice calls out from just out of view, and the Dark Master knows his fight is about to become ten times harder.

Sparx can also hear the sounds of income dragons, as Spyro, Malefor, and Monsoon have found their way through his barrier. He realizes that the Dark Master is going to become very desperate, and his father will surly be taken by the sight of Cynder on the ground unconscious.

Because of these factors, the young dragon makes a very fast and reckless decision.

"If you don't hurt my mother, I will face you alone..." Sparx yelps, seeing the ball of energy in the Dark Master's hand is getting more and more powerful.

"...just you and me, Gerald..." The young dragon continues, recalling more memories, and the name of the creature that haunted his mind, knowing that moniker infuriates him.

"...but this time...we fight for real, and not just in my head!"

The Dark Master's pupils fix on the little dragon, and his anger begins to boil over, however, knowing the huge disadvantage he will soon face, the evil monster agrees.

"Very well..." He replies, absorbing his energy bomb into his hand, and turning his attention to the west. "...I will take you down first..."

The Dark Master hearing the voices getting closer, disappears with the bending of Light.

"...I think I would enjoy watching Spyro die by his son's paw!"

Sparx shows this distorted pattern of Light a very angry stare, before he himself use this element to disappear.

"You are not as strong as you think!" The young dragon replies sternly, watching his two fathers enter the Eastern Square.

"I will show you the Power of Malefor..." Sparx exclaims, but then suddenly pauses with a sensation he has been wondering about since birth, a feeling that he never understood as a child, and why he fights the way he does. He can see the eyes of his FATHER, focused on one thing...his Mother, and a sudden understanding of his blood-line fills Sparx with the same virtues that flow through Spyro.

"...but most importantly...I will show you the Determination of my DAD!"

* * *

><p>"COME ON YOU GUYS...OVER HERE!" Spyro yelps, hearing the sounds of pulsing energy coming from around the corner, but waiting for the two other dragons that have entered the city with him.<p>

Monsoon and Malefor quickly stop their search, and run to the sound of Spyro's call.

"What is it?" Monsoon asks, landing with Malefor beside the purple dragon.

"They're just around the corner." the Skylander General remarks, turning his attention to Monsoon.

"Go back to the barrier, Monsoon...get Sonic, and Excelcius, and anyone else who is willing to fight."

The Water dragon nods his head, and turns back to the East Gate.

Spyro returns his attention to Malefor, and rears up on his hind legs. The purple hero, now standing face to face with the taller dragon, just stares into his eyes. Not a word is spoken, but the purple dragon could not have said more.

Malefor wraps his paw around Spyro, and pulls him to his chest.

"I understand, my friend, and I swear to you now...I will do all that I can to keep them safe Spyro, but you must stay focused as well!"

A deep breath is taken by the purple hero, knowing that his wife and son are in grave danger, but Spyro forces himself to settle down.

"I will, Malefor...and thank you!"

Spyro takes another cleansing breath, and both dragons tear off around the building to begin this final battle with their nemesis. A rematch that has been long over due for both dragons, but as they enter the large open area before the east door of the Palace, their purple eyes lock on two unconscious dragons.

Both laying beside each other, a dual feeling of emotion fills Spyro's heart. His wife has beaten the Dark Master, but at what cost. He can see her breathing, but she is not moving, and most importantly, his son is nowhere to be seen.

Spyro and Malefor run full-out to Cynder's side, and the young husband quickly grasps her in his arms. His eyes begin to tear up, feeling the limpness of her body, and the cold touch of death upon her scales

"CYNDER!" He barks, but not a movement comes from her, not even a flinch of her eyes. However, inside Tycor, the young dragoness can hear the voice of her love.

"_Spyro!" _ She says softly, still burning from the pain of a powerful convexity attack, and the Earth Dragon laying before her, repeats the thought he hears from her mind.

"SPYRO!" The brown and black dragon, laying beside his wife, suddenly says, then opens his eyes.

Both Cynder and Tycor can see the purple dragon, laying atop his wife's near lifeless body, become insanely angry with his waking.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?" Spyro screams with rage, grasping Tycor by his throat, lifting him off the ground, and slamming him against the Palace Wall.

"_NO SPYRO!"_ Cynder cries out, and is again repeated by Tycor, but the purple dragon bashes his balled paw into the Earth Dragon's jaw.

"SHUT UP, YOU EVIL BASTARD!" He yells into face of the dragon he still believes to be the Dark Master, then looks down at his wife.

Cynder begins to shutter, sensing the pain her Spirit is feeling in Tycor's body, and Spyro grips the Earth Dragon's throat tighter.

"_He's going to kill me!" _She whimpers to herself, and Tycor uncontrollably repeats her words again.

"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT I AM!" Spyro replies, as his pupils disappear, and Cynder's body shakes more violently, knowing her husband has no clue who he is going to destroy.


	45. Love, Found Within Strong Walls of Stone

Chapter 45 Love, Found Within Strong Walls of Stone

Standing in the Main Room of his new Portal Station, Gaven smiles as the hum of power begins to fill his ears. The solar panels have pulled in enough energy to power the entire station, and with a few quick repairs to several overloaded circuits, the Skylanders return from the dead.

The familiar sound of his computers rebooting makes the old master smile, and sits at his desk to begin his work. However, his eyes open wide finally getting a full picture of the Dark Master's impact on the peaceful planet of Avalar.

"OH MY LORD!" He remarks, seeing a nearly fifty percent reduction in the population, and the power level of only one of his Skylanders.

"General Sonic...Please come in!" He calls with a broken voice, hoping to hear a different story from someone on the planet.

"Master Gaven!" The blue hedgehog blurts, startled by the returning voice of his commander.

"Thank the Gods!" Gaven remarks, hearing the clear voice of his hedgehog friend. "Sonic...what is going on?"

His tone chills the spiky quills down the blue hero's back, and he quickly gives his location and a fast Sit-Rep.

"We are outside the City's East Gate sir, waiting on word from Spyro and Malefor!"

Gaven slightly smiles hearing his other Skylander might still be alive, but still his mood is somber as well as his voice, not seeing his energy upon the screen before him.

"I am rushing to send you support, Sonic...Please...stop trying to enter the city, and protect the remaining citizens of that world...I beg you!"

Sonic looks at Excelcius, and scratches his head.

"SIR?"

Gaven pauses, then his voice shows the hedgehog he has no clue of what is going on.

"Avalar cannot afford to lose anymore lives General." The Portal Master orders, and Sonic can practically hear the tears coming from his superior's eyes. "Leave Spyro behind...and protect whom ever is still alive!"

Sonic scratches his head again, wondering why the Portal Master sounds so defeated, however, the smart hedgehog smiles, realizing his friend is looking at his display, and the information must be wrong.

"Well that would be almost everyone, Master Gaven...the casualties here have been lite, I would say less than a hundred." He replies, nodding his head at the Fire dragon, making sure Excelcius can hear him making fun of his superior. "I think that computer of yours is acting up Master!"

The Portal Master's eyes open wide, and he looks at Jasper, whom begins shaking his head.

"I told you it might not be accurate. The sensors took a beating too, Gaven."

Sonic can hear the Portal Master's voice become irate, just as the communications are shut down, and he looks at Excelcius again, trying to keep his embarrassed smile in check.

"Gaven's amazing..." Sonic says, shaking his head. "...he is such a great strategist, but take his computers away, and he's helpless!"

"You know...I only covered the microphone, General!" Gaven's voice blares out quickly with anger, and Sonic becomes even more embarrassed.

"Now...since I'm so helpless up here...how about cluing me in on what is really going on!"

"YES SIR..."

Snapping to attention, Sonic lays out the past half an hour with quick details.

How the Palace Guards protected the bulk of Avalar's population, then assisted by a powerful purple dragon, lost no one else to the ape army.

How Spyro wiped out an entire platoon, then gained a vast amount of knowledge in one breath.

"...All that remains is the Dark Master himself, and he is barricaded inside the city, Master Gaven. Spyro is working beside Malefor, and a very strong Water Dragon, to stop him now. I suspect we will hear word any minute."

Gaven's mood improves with every aspect that Sonic lays out, and the fact his Skylanders are wreaking havoc against the Dark Master. However, with one last piece of information, Sonic crushes the Portal Master's spirit, giving his only real piece of terrible news.

"...However...I'm sorry that I must report...we lost the Earth Guardian and leader of the dragon race!"

"Terridor?" Gaven's voice softly breaks across Sonic's communicator, and the blue hedgehog closes his eyes, knowing a deep fondness Gaven had with the unofficial Ruler of Avalar.

He has developed a good rapport with all the leaders of their respected planets, however Terridor was different. As stubborn as the old Portal Master, the Earth Dragon reminded him a lot of himself, and Gaven looked forward to speaking with him every week.

A long pause continues from the Portal Master, then suddenly his voice fills with anger.

"You will have MY FULL SUPPORT in five minutes, General...OUT!"

* * *

><p>"We have to help them Dad!" Catarina barks at her father, feeling the room shake from another tremendous impact.<p>

"THAT IS OUT OF THE QUESTION!" Nick replies, his voice raised to the high ceiling of the Eastern Palace, practically shaking the room like the battle outside.

Since Sparx left them, the two dragons have bickered with each other, just as they have for the last year. A defiant young dragoness, not letting her father in on the emotions she feels, and a wrecked dad, never able to express his guilt for letting her down.

They continue to fight for NO reason, and Gianna begins to cry.

"STOP YELLING AT EACH OTHER!" Nicholas screams, startling everyone, and both dragons of similar color hold their heated words.

"You two are like children!" He continues, and Nina and Flash, hovering close by, chuckle at the two year old dragon's adult perception.

"He's right!" The larger blue dragonfly remarks, finally getting himself involved in this family's quarrel. "You both know the truth about what happened...Why are you still fighting with each other?"

Nick stares into the defiant eyes of his daughter, and Catarina can see her father break down.

"I don't want to fight with her..." The young father lowers his head, turning away from Catarina, so she doesn't see him cry, but there are way to many tears for him to hide. She also drops from her angered stance, seeing the tears roll from his muzzle, creating a small puddle on the marble floor by her front paws.

"...but she won't let me in anymore!"

Catarina holds focus, unable to turn away from her father.

"I cannot talk to my own daughter..." He continues, taking a deep breath and returning his eyes to hers. "...because she thinks I don't trust her, and that couldn't be further from the truth."

Catarina takes a deep breath herself, and slams into her father with a huge embrace.

"But it was my fault Dad..." She cries, squeezing him as tight as she can, taking the comfort of his grasp for the first time in a year. "...I'm so Sorry...I let you and Mom down!"

"By the Ancestors...NO!" He cries, looking down at the children they left in her care, with full confidence in her abilities.

"This is MY fault!"

Catarina becomes angry again, hearing the same first words that started this argument, and she tries to pull away from her father's grasp, but Nick will not let her go this time.

"I WAS WRONG...I should have been there to SUPPORT my daughter when I got home, and should not have ignored HER feelings of guilt!" He whispers, and Catarina stops flailing, staring into her father's eyes with shock.

A year ago, he told her that he should have never left them alone, period, and it was that one slight remark, said in nervous anger that started this war between them. Now one year later, a single line ends it.

"I am so proud of what you did...and much prouder of the dragoness that you have become..." He says, knowing her poise has been tested for this last year, but has remained stable through a vicious onslaught of hatred by total stranger and fair-weathered friends.

"...however..." He says lowering his head, and crying, not caring if anyone sees his emotions. "...I miss my daughter, and I want to be able to know her again...before she out grows her Daddy!"

The young dragoness returns her strong embrace, and places the side of her muzzle against her father's neck.

"I love you..." She replies quickly, and begins to shutter with a subtle vibration. Nick smiles uncontrollably, feeling a sensation he has not felt since leaving for Dragoon Bay a year ago, and the strong hug from his eldest child for giving her a chance to be an adult. Like a cat purring, Catarina makes sure her father can feel this special reaction that her Icy vocal cords make, and answers his question with pure joy. "...and I'll never outgrow my Daddy!"

The two just hold each other for a moment, cleansing a year of pain with a simple embrace.

Suddenly the room rocks violently, and everyone's attention is to the high roof, watching it begin to crack from a hard impact to the wall outside.

"We need to move into the Main Palace!" Nina remarks, quickly flying towards a large staircase, her husband directly behind her. "There is more stability in that structure!"

Nick follows the green and pink dragonfly, however, he is not completely understanding of her move.

"Wait a minute! We need to get out of this place...cause it's gonna collapse!" The engineer dragon remarks with concern, being one of the dragons the helped build the city.

"The entrance of the Main Palace is several stories above this level!" Nick continues, stopping with a sudden opening of his wings. He can feel the room shaking again, and wonders how that could be safer.

"We can't go up, that just not smart!"

Nina stops dead in flight, turning her head to show Nick anger.

"YOU DOUBT MY DESIGN!" She barks in his face, effectively letting the water dragon know who was responsible for the Dragon Race's most prized structure.

"There is no way that tower is coming down...EVER!"

Nick takes a stand, holding his children from following, and showing a defiant stare. As a powerful water dragon, and engineer, Nick was one of the dragons that helped build New Warfang. He knows there is a shroud of mystery behind the largest tower's construction, but also knows who pieced most of the city together.

"Your design or not, that thing was built by a bunch of Manweresmalls, and I am not trusting my kids safety to them."

Nina flies closer to Nick's nose and grasps the tip of his flailing left nostril. Like she would do to her much larger son, whenever he acted up as a young whelpling, the angry dragonfly holds his attention with a sharp pain.

"MY SON BUILT THAT TOWER!"

Nick, feeling the shock of Nina's aggression, is confused, not knowing the purple dragon was involved in the city's construction, and quickly calms down understanding her anger. He would be annoyed as well...if someone doubted his children.

Flash gently grasps his wife's hand from Nick's nose, looking up at the large green dragon with embarrassment, and pulls her into his arms.

"Spyro made the stone for that tower." Flash continues for his wife, calming her down with his gentle embrace. "It is so strong, that Terridor himself, had to carve all one hundred and fifty-seven thousand tons into the bricks the Manweresmalls used."

"I didn't know that!" The young father says, lowering his head to look at his children. "I just...figured...you know..."

Nina holds her hand out, silencing the babbling dragon, as she touches the same nostril from before. Nick quickly focuses on her hand, fearing another sudden grip of pain.

"I'm sorry young dragon!" She replies, rubbing the place she hurt, and lowering her head down into Flash's shoulder. "I didn't mean to do that to you...I'm just so worried about my son!"

Her emotions finally catching up, Nina begins sobbing as another impact of the wall shakes her world. She knows it is either her son or grandson taking a beating for Avalar again, and a deep pain begins to consume the helpless mother.

"I want to help my baby so much, but I know I can't be any help in a fight. " She says, looking into the eyes of the three whelplings her other son saved, at the cost of his life.

"That's why I made sure this tower would be a safe place for us..." Nina pauses, and turns her head to look up the long straight staircase into the Dragon's Palace. "...for all those that can only hope and pray for their son's...for their hero's to succeed!"

With a tear falling from his left eye, Nick understands this little dragonfly more than ever. He grasps his son in his arms, and looks down at his two daughters, knowing how they have full faith in their own hero.

"Catarina, Gianna...I want you to hold onto my back, as tightly as possible!" He says, and both give a confident nod before leaping upon their father. He grimaces slightly, as the girls sink their claws into his scales for a better hold, and Nick opens his wings, returning his eyes to Nina and Flash.

"You're family has never let me down...and I'm sorry for ever doubting that..." Nick smiles, gently wrapping his wing around the two dragonflies, and pulling them close to his chest.

"...you are the ones that raised two incredible children, and both have influenced my family...we will gladly follow the true heroes of Avalar, anywhere."

Nina smiles and rubs the top of the green dragon's muzzle, like she would for Spyro, and just like her son, Nick groans with the soft relaxing feel of someone rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Do all dragon's like that?" Flash remarks, hearing his son's same reaction, and the three whelplings gathered on their father, answer him in unison.

"Yes!"

However, with another shutter of the Eastern Palace, Nina and Nick stare into each others eyes, and become focused. The two parents nod with a sudden understanding of one another, and both repeat the same call.

"Lets go!"

Nina pulls herself from her husband's embrace, and zips off towards the huge marble staircase, leading into the Central Tower. Nick cinches his left arm around his son tighter, then opens his wings for balance. His daughters dig in once more, sending pain into their father, but a pain he is willing to take, knowing that they will not come loose from his back.

"Hang on Girls!" He barks again, trying to keep up with the agile couple leading the way, and picks up the pace of his three-legged gallop. Nick leaps the first twenty steps, trying to stay close, as Nina and Flash simply fly.

With little to no air flow in the narrowed stairwell, it is hard for a dragon to stay aloft. Nick's blue-green colored wings keep him landing his leaps softly, and help his balance, but not much more use comes from them. He heads up the nearly seventy foot high staircase, leaping a dozen at a time.

"Slow Down!" Nicholas yelps from his dad's chest, but the young father covers his son's muzzle, and holds him a little tighter with his left front paw.

"No Nicholas..." He says softly, taking another huge leap. "...we need to move faster, so use your claws to hold on if you need to!"

The young father's eyes open wide, and a bit nervousness fills his heart as Nicholas extends his talons.

"_By the Ancestors..."_ Nick screams to himself, then comes the sudden pain of his son digging them into his chest.

"_...when did they get that long!"_

However, feeling the sting in his chest and back, the young father smiles slightly. He knows his children are clinging to him for life, and more so, knowing the daughter he has had issues with, is holding on the tightest. He feels so light on his feet, and his longer leaps show it. Catarina lifts her right paw, leans over her sister, and cinches into Nick's back again, keeping Gianna from falling, as their father picks his pace up once more.

Positive that his son and daughters are not going anywhere, Nick use all four paws to leap the last cluster of steps. He lands at the top of the giant staircase, and slides on the polished marble floor of the palace's main greeting area.

Nick digs his claws into the ground, but still glides several feet before coming to a stop. His eyes focus down on his talons, and the young father is shocked. He has lost nearly an inch of their length, ground down by the stone made with a powerful magic

He never noticed it before, believing the Palace of the Dragons was simply made with the same materials as the rest of the city, but now he can see the incredible difference in this structure. His claws didn't penetrate a millimeter for grip, and left no scratches behind. The rumbling from outside is no longer felt, and a quiet calm is heard in the sound proof tower.

"MY WORD!" He says with disbelief, looking up at Nina and Flash. "How did he do this?"

"I never ask him how..." Nina remarks, turning to her husband, and smiling. "...just like I never asked the ancestors in my prayers...why he came to US!"

Nina pauses, looking at the many statues of Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx the Dragonfly, carved with perfect attention to every detail, and showing whom this tower is dedicated to.

"You just don't question miracles!"

Nick smiles, and nods his head with acknowledgment, rubbing the head of his terrified son.

"I agree..." He says, then cranes his neck so he stare his eldest daughter in the eyes. "...I should have never questioned my miracle."

Catarina smiles at her father, then helps Gianna down from his back. Both stand side by side staring up at him with grateful appreciation, and he looks down at them with same stare, thankful to have his children again. However, one child is still not ready to separate from his father.

"You can let go now, Nicholas!" Catarina remarks to her little brother, still latched to his dad's chest, holding on with a powerful death-grip.

"I can't!" He replies, trembling with fear, until his father's paw cradles his back.

"You can stay with me Nicholas..." He whispers into his son's ear, softly stroking his talons across the bridge of his blue nose, trying to calm him further. "...just loosen your grip a little!"

The young whelpling heeds his father's words, slowly retracting the sharp talons burrowed into Nick's blue chest. However, as the unshakable tower suddenly jostles with movement, little Nicholas buries his claws deeper

"By the ancestor?" Nick barks, not feeling his son's claws, but more of shock, as this remarkably strong tower vibrates from another tremendous impact. Placing his left paw over his son, and scooping both daughters in his other paw, Nick takes off towards the Northern side of the tower, and a large open balcony.

No longer caring about the strength of the Palace, the young father is now desperate to get his children away from the battle. He flies full speed, leaving Nina and Flash in the dust this time, zipping through the large foyer to get out

However, where he gets closer to the balcony, Nick opens his wings, and stops short. Holding his children for dear life, the young father halts his approach to the open door, seeing a powerful flash of energy explode before his eyes.

The tower shutters again, and a strong blast wave, comes through the door, knocking Nick from the air. He wraps his blue wings around himself, covering his kids, and makes sure to land upon his back.

Nina and Flash are by his side in a second, and the looks on her face is of pure fear. She stares at the eyes of Nick's children, and can see they are taking comfort in their father's grasp, and this stings her further.

"What is going on out there?" Nina asks aloud, showing her concern is not for the indestructible tower, but for her only remaining child.

Another impact is felt, and Nina loses the little composure she had.

"SPYRO!" The terrified mother screams, and takes off towards the open balcony.

"NO!" Flash hollers, recklessly chasing after his wife.

Nina crosses the threshold of the massive doors, leading to the forward balcony. A place where many dignitaries have stood, waving to the masses that gather in the Main Square that it faces. However, this day, the balcony is a ring side seat for two separate battles.

Their eyes, unable to see a fight between two powerful masters, lock on the only action visible, and what they see startles them.

"WHY ARE THEY FIGHTING EACH OTHER NOW?" Nina cries, seeing Malefor and Spyro in their dark scales, one holding the other down with extreme prejudice.

* * *

><p>Cynder, pulsing with the Dark Master's Convexity, slowly opens her eyes again. She can see the Earth Dragon before her is no longer tangled with his puppet-master's strings, however he is still not controlling his movement, as Spyro continually beats him around the Eastern Square.<p>

"Tycor!" She calls, getting his Spirit's attention. "Hang on!"

"Cynder..." he replies, and quickly shutters from another impact to his body.

"DON'T YOU TALK TO HER!"

Cynder can hear her husband's voice, and watches as Tycor's Spirit begins to flash as Spyro continues his assault in the Real world.

The purple dragon, his eyes white as the sun on a hot summer day, burns his anger into the Earth dragon's soul, as he lifts him up by the left horn. Spyro viciously drills Tycor with a devastating combo, before delivering a four paw strike to his chest. It sends the large brown and black dragon into the Eastern Palace, cracking the wall from the force of his impact.

Cynder jostles in the real world, and Malefor, standing by, just watching his young friend take revenge, notices this subtle movement. He looks over at Spyro, and watches as when he delivers another blow, she shakes again.

"By the ancestor!" He remarks, not understanding why Cynder is feeling the fierce attack her husband is dishing out, but realizing that he better stop him just in case.

"Spyro...wait!"

In the Spirit world, the voice of her other protector, rings in her ears. Even in the beginning of her life, Malefor was the one that made sure she was not abused by the apes, placing her in charge until his return...but it is what he did later in life for her, and her unborn child, that will never be forgotten.

"Malefor...help me!" She says aloud, and Tycor uncontrollably repeats her words.

Spyro slams the dragon, he knows as being controlled by the Dark Master, into the palace wall to stop him from talking. However, his words register a sudden fear, and that fear manifests when he notices Malefor charging.

"_NO!"_ Spyro thinks to himself, believing that the former Dark Master is back under the spell of this powerful magic. Just like Cynder was turned at the last moment in the war, Spyro believes his new friend has been influenced by Tycor's Dark Magic at the last moment.

However, unlike Cynder, he knows just declaring his feelings for him, will not revert this dragon.

Spyro makes a preemptive move, leaping at the larger purple dragon, and slamming him unsuspectingly with the hard yellow scale at the end of his tail. Malefor, never expecting Spyro to swing, is taken off his feet. He soars into the same wall Tycor is resting against, shaking the palace once more.

The former Dark Master, startled, but not defeated, leaps back at the smaller dragon, lowering his shoulder, and slamming him back a few yards.

"What is wrong with you!?" He barks with anger, but Spyro, enraged with the thought of losing his friend, his wife, and his son in one moment, is overloaded with emotion.

Spyro leaps at Malefor, and the former Dark Master is startled, as his scales flash from purple to black in a heart beat. Spyro lowers his head, driving the only gold horn he has into the larger dragon's chest, piercing his scales, and sending Malefor into agony. The purple dragon falls to the ground, holding the hole in his chest, and staring at the angry black dragon above him.

"Spyro...it's Cyn...!" He tries to say, but the emotionally compromised dragon fires a beam of Icy breath, shutting his muzzle tight, and quickly coating the entire dragon in a tomb of the cold element.

With a surge of the Dark Power that was forced into him from the Well of Souls, the grunting and growling enraged lover looks back at the dragon that attacked his wife and family. Having evil thoughts to kill with no remorse, Spyro is back to the ground in a second, grasping Tycor by the throat, and lifting his helpless body from the ground.

"You have drawn your last breath, Dark Master!"

His anger is so overwhelming, that Spyro does not notice the stare he is getting from the dragon he is trying to end. His eyes are brown, and no longer possessing the evil narrow cat-like

Still pulsing with the Dark Master's parting attack, Cynder drags herself to Tycor's Spirit. If she can touch him, the young dragon can show herself, and talk with her husband through their connection. However, Cynder knows if she allows even the slightest bit of the energy to flow back into Tycor, he will certainly die from the combination of the beating he is taking from Spyro.

The dark dragoness can see the strain in the Earth dragon's eyes, and the lack of blood and oxygen to his brain, begins to pain her as well.

"Hold on, Tycor...Please, just a little longer." She says, and this time, he cannot repeat her words, struggling to breath as Spyro cinches his grip tighter.

Unable to drag herself further, Cynder extends the wing, once sheared from her body, trying to make a new connection between their spirits. However, just as she comes in contact with his side, both get a blast of oxygen into their lungs.

"What happened?" She remarks, staring at the shock in Tycor's eyes for what he is seeing.

"Malefor happened!"

The entire city of New Warfang rocks, as the former Dark Master blasts himself from an early grave, and grasps Spyro by the left horn.

"Are you NUTS?!" Malefor barks in his face, then tosses Spyro like a rag doll into the Main Tower, displaying the raw strength he possesses.

His black paw, slams a vast amount of energy into the downed dragon, allowing Tycor and Cynder a moment of relief, however, that moment is short-lived.

Spyro rises to his feet, and watches the as the former Dark Master aids the new Dark Master, and his rage boils over.

A powerful ball of his Fury builds in the back of his throat, and Spyro digs his claw into the ground, holding position to fire a cannonball of energy.

With both targets in his rage-blurred vision, Spyro tries to kill two Dark Masters with one stone.

He unleashes this attack without delay, and prepares for the fallout of this massive explosion, by leaping across his unconscious wife's body.

Malefor's eyes lock upon the ball of energy, and with a grunt of pure anger, he swats his left front paw. Like a tennis player, backhanding a volley, Malefor slams this ball off to the left, and away from everyone. It strikes the barrier the Dark Master put around the city, exploding with the force of an atomic bomb.

A shock-wave levels half of the buildings, including the weakened Eastern Palace, however, the Main tower stands up to the force.

Spyro, still pumped up on adrenaline, returns to his feet, but is taken quickly by surprise as Malefor emerges from the dust, landing directly before the black and gold dragon. With a violent swipe of his tail, the larger of the two, clobbers Spyro across the jaw.

The younger dragon lands in the center of the Eastern Square, and Malefor lands on top of him. He holds Spyro down with his full weight, lower his mouth down to yell in his ear.

"STOP IT SPYRO!" He barks, snapping the dark dragon from his rage filled release of emotion. "Cynder is inside of him...LOOK!"

The young dragon still breathing heavily from his outburst of raw emotion, calms quickly, seeing a familiar set of eyes on the Earth Dargon, a pair of eyes he is infatuated with.

"CYNDER?" He barks with pure surprise, and more so as Tycor nods his head. Spyro's scales return to their normal color, and he pulls himself from under Malefor, slowly backing away with shame in his eyes.

"What have I done..." He says looking down at his paws, knowing how close he came to crushing the Earth dragon's throat. "...I almost did it again!"

However, with the strength of his wife's spirit, Tycor returns to his feet, and stares at the young purple dragon.

"No, Spyro...you did do it again!" The large dragon replies, using a voice that is remarkably similar to Cynder's. He strides up to purple dragon, placing his paw upon his gold chest, and stares into his soul with HER sparkling Green eyes.

"_You have done everything you promised!"_ Cynder's voice sings inside his head, and Spyro is suddenly upon a high cliff in the Valley of Avalar. He knows immediately where he is standing, as it is the place he and Cynder gave their vows to remain by each others side forever.

The purple dragon can tell right away that he is day-dreaming, realizing that Malefor is still in his view, quietly blending into the background. His wife appearing from the Shadow Realm before him, and lighting his eyes up with her new white color.

"_You have shown your love for me is uncontrollable..." _Cynder remarks, grasping her husband's paw tightly, and reliving the kiss that sent the massive crowd, gathered for their wedding, into a frenzy.

Cynder then looks at the sun in this Spiritual vision she is sharing with Spyro, giving him another peck on the cheek, and wrapping her wing around him tightly.

"_...and I know my husband will always be ready to fight for it!" _

* * *

><p><strong>One more fight to<strong>


	46. Spirit & Fury (part I)

**Here's the begin of the final fight, I know...a two part chapter, but you know how much I love a cliffhanger, and this should prove to be a good one.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 46 Fury &amp; Spirit (part I)<p>

Shock fills the eyes of a green and blue dragon, as he walks out to the balcony beside the now speechless dragonfly couple. Leaving his children under the watchful eyes of Catarina, Nick decides to see what had made Nina and Flash, show a range of emotion.

However, as he crosses the threshold, and out onto the same norther balcony, his eyes immediately focus on one thing.

"By the Ancestors!" He barks, seeing two purple dragons, and knowing exactly who the other one is.

"NOT MALEFOR TOO!"

Seeing a scene of what seems like desperation for Spyro and Cynder, anger fills Nick's heart. The Water dragon builds an abundant blast of his element inside, then releases it from the balcony seventy feet above.

"NO NICK!" Flash yells, but only after the Water Master dropped...a thousand gallon bomb.

"What?" He replies with anger, water splashing from his mouth and dousing the two dragonflies. He was hoping to actually drop a ten thousand gallon bomb, and heard the call to stop. Now a bit of embarrassment fills his eyes, as Nina and Flash's wings fill with the remnants of his attack, and they fall to the floor. However, he becomes a bit nervous as Flash answers his question from the puddle he and his wife fell into.

"Malefor is with us now!"

"Grublin dung!" Nick replies, not believing a word, until the sound of a loud splash of water, and the grumbling of both Spyro and Malefor ring up from the ground.

"WHO DID THAT?" The unfamiliar voice of the former Dark Master echoes from down below, followed by the familiar voice of the Great Hero of Avalar.

"By the Ancestors, Monsoon...I swear you'll be the first to find out what TWO PURPLE DRAGONS can do, if you keep blasting us with water!"

The look on Nick's face is classic, and Flash begins to chuckle seeing the instant reaction to this remarkable pairing.

"He's on our side now?" The green dragon asks with fear, lowering to pick up the two dragonflies he knocked down, holding them gently in his paw. However, a sudden glow of light reflects from Nick's blue eyes, and a look of pure fear fills his features.

Appearing from nowhere, a pulse of energy streaks towards the balcony from the North side of the City, and Nick knows it is on target for them. Without a word, he turns back towards the palace, and leaps as hard as he can into the structure.

Holding tightly to the two dragonflies, the Water dragon is catapulted into the tower by a powerful explosion from behind, tearing the entire balcony down, and cracking the wall of the unbreakable tower.

"DAD!" Catarina barks, watching her father hit the ground deep inside the tower. She runs to his side quickly, followed by her brother and sister.

"Cat...go!"

The green dragon passes out cold just as his daughter reaches him, and even the pounding of her paws on his chest will not wake him. She can see he is breathing, but the side of his body is badly burned, and his wing is worse.

Catarina turns from the sight of her dad's injuries, and immediately notices her sister and brother will see it soon. She leaps before them grabbing both and holding them put.

"Daddy's OK!" She says, trying her best to hold her emotions. "He just needs to rest...that's what he TOLD me!"

The young dragoness turns her head and see a set of stairs leading up, and quickly shepherds Gianna and Nicholas towards them.

"Take your brother and go up five flights, then wait for me Gianna...DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"

With a nod of her sister's head, and their immediate departure up the stairs, Catarina turns back to her father for one last thing.

The young dragoness gets up close, not looking at the gruesome injury to his side, and places her paw upon his neck.

"I promise I will do better this time Daddy!" She says, pecking her father on the cheek. "but you have to promise to come back...OK!"

"Take care of them..." Nick, suddenly groans with pain, and turns his head to look at her.

"...I will be home soon, Catarina!" His voice softly whispers the same thing he said a year ago, and the young dragoness smiles with tears flowing from her eyes.

A loud blast of the fight outside rattles the young dragoness, as the sound and fury comes through the gaping hole where the balcony was. She quickly turns to the stairwell, however, the terrified dragoness stops as her father grumbles in pain once more.

"But you're not gonna make it home if I don't help you Dad!"

"NO!" He says, as Catarina grasps under his forearm, around his neck, and pulls as hard as she can.

The young dragoness moves him only a foot, then repositions to pull again. However, another blast from outside shakes the tower, and Catarina falls on her butt.

"Damn it Catarina!" Nick barks, staring with anger at his daughter. "I said GO!"

The young dragoness gets back to her feet, and grasps her father again.

"GROUND ME!" She barks in his face, yanking him two feet this time, using the adrenaline she is now feeling.

"I swear you won't leave the house for a year, young lady!"

Catarina snorts a cold blast of icy vapor from her flailing nostrils, and digs her claws into Nick's arm and neck. He yelps with pain, but can suddenly feel a lot of his weight lifted off the ground.

"I won't mind spending that time at home..." She yells with anger, flapping her wings and dragging her father at a now constant pace. She pulls him around to the central staircase, essentially surrounding him on three sides with this strong stone, and collapses atop of him after using everything she physically had.

"...but only if my Dad is there with me!"

Nick himself begins to relax, and cradles his head around Catarina.

"Then...I might have to ground you for two years!"

* * *

><p>In the Eastern Square, Spyro is gingerly aiding the Earth dragon holding his wife's spirit to the unconscious body of Cynder. He helps Tycor down to his stomach, then on to his side, making sure the he is not injured any further.<p>

Tycor reaches out his paw to Cynder, but stops, and looks back at the purple dragon beside him.

"For what its worth, Spyro...I never meant to hurt your father." The large dragon remarks suddenly, realizing he did that on his own, and the many other mistakes he made before his enslavement, flood his soul with pain.

"I knew the purple dragon would not end my life...unless I could show such an evil that he had no choice"

From inside, Cynder grasps his spirit's paw, and looks him dead in the eye.

"Why would you say that?"

Tycor lowers his head, and this time, under his own mental power, he returns them both to the desert in his mind.

"I miss him..." He remarks looking at the stars that make up his father's constellation, then staring back into Cynder's green eyes. "...and I just wanted to be with my family again!"

Spyro and Malefor can hear the Earth Dragon speaking to the spirit of Cynder inside, and the both lower their heads, knowing exactly what Tycor is referring to.

"I'm so... so sorry..." The Dark Dragoness remarks, turning away from his eyes, and feeling the depression of his taking his parents. "...I wish I could take it all back...I never meant to hurt you like th..."

The Earth dragon grasps Cynder's muzzle, silencing her with a soft touch. His eyes lock upon hers, and his voice echoes in her head...and in the real world for all to hear

"You cannot take back what you didn't do, and have nothing to be sorry for, Cynder. I know this dragoness before me did not kill my parents!"

Tycor lowers his head, seeing the orange and black dragon that he called brother, after his family had been slaughtered. Now all he can see is Garnet's eyes, as he stabbed him in the back.

"But I also know how you will never be able to forget them either...and for that...I am sorry..."

Cynder's shows anguish to speak her mind, but Tycor never releases her muzzle, not allowing her to talk before finishing his own thought.

"...every chance I got while Spyro was gone...I would make you relive that same moment...It must have been nearly impossible for you."

The Earth Dragon looks up at Titan's Heart, the brightest star in his constellation, watching it pulse in rhythm with his own heart

"Yesterday, I hated you for what you took from me..." He lowers his head down to stare into the dark dragoness' green eyes. "...but now, I can say that I have only respected one other dragon more than you, and he will always be watching US from above!"

Suddenly the Earth dragon tenses up his grasp, making sure Cynder hears his final word, and that they sink in deep.

"Anytime you see his face in your nightmares, Cynder...always look for his Heart..." Tycor finally releases his grasp upon her muzzle, and looks up at the pulsing star once again.

"...it will calm you down, and help with the pain...I promise!"

Cynder places her paw upon his jaw, and slowly rubs the bottom of his chin. She takes the memories he has seen in the last day, and burns them into her own.

"And if you ever need to talk about what happened, Tycor..."

The Earth Dragon returns his attention to Cynder with shock, hearing a voice from a friend, and not the one expected. Her eyes no longer green, send chills down his spirit's spine, as they remind him of a brother he knew, one he couldn't stop himself from killing.

"My door will always be open for family..." She says with Garnet's voice, using the same line he told a best-friend after a horrific day. "...and I will be there for you...like a brother!"

Suddenly Cynder smiles, and pulls her paw from his muzzle, wiping the tears from her eyes. A soft chuckle comes from within her soul, and the young dragoness' voice returns.

"Well...maybe not a brother..." She says, returning her green eyes to Tycor, and raising up to hug the large dragon tightly. "...but a very understanding sister."

"It would be my honor...to be part of your family!" Tycor replies, with the same words he told a friend, and returns the tight embrace that Cynder is giving him. However, his voice becomes softer, and very somber.

"But I miss my Family!

"Your family will wait for you Tycor..." Malefor remarks from the background, hearing every word with Spyro of this dragon's struggle.

"...just ask the dragon to you left, and the one inside of you."

Tycor's eyes focus on Spyro, as well as Cynder, and he can see it written on both of their faces.

"Family will always wait for you, Tycor!" Both dragons say in unison, sending chills down his spine in the real and spirit worlds.

"Then you should no longer wait for each other."

Tycor places his paw on the unconscious dragoness' neck, and a glow of white light fills the Eastern square.

Cynder takes a deep breath, as her spirit returns home, and quickly takes her feet. However, feeling a very dizzying side effect from the transfer, she falls back down to her haunches.

Tycor's head also begins to spin, and he falls over on his side, staring up at the high palace.

"By the ancestors...what a headache!"

Spyro leaps to his wife, helping her back up to her feet, and planting his muzzle upon hers. He transfers a vast amount of his strength and magic, into her weakened body, with a passionate kiss that glows with power.

Tycor looks at Malefor, as he slowly approaches, and lifts him to his feet.

"Well...I'm not kissing you, so forget it!" The purple dragon remarks sarcastically, and both Spyro and Cynder chuckle in their passion. Tycor gives the former Dark Master a very snide glare, then smiles as a transfer of energy begins flowing from his paws

"I'll try to get over it." The large brown and black dragon replies.

Suddenly, Malefor is slammed from above by a swimming pool of water. Encased in a thin membrane, the thousand gallon bomb that Nick dropped from above soaks all for dragons in an instant.

"Interesting Weather were having!" Cynder remarks, as her husband pulls away from his kiss with shock at being doused again.

"WHO DID THAT?" Malefor yells, turning his head up to the balcony, and seeing no one, however, the young purple dragon is sure he knows who did it.

"By the Ancestors, Monsoon...I swear you'll be the first to find out what TWO PURPLE DRAGONS can do, if you keep blasting us with water!"

"I didn't do that!"

The Water dragon's voice shocks all four to look towards the Eastern Wall, and they see the large blue Water master standing beside a tiny blue hedgehog.

"I went to get help as instructed!"

Suddenly the sight of a powerful ball of energy takes Sonic and Monsoon's attention to the balcony, and they watch with surprise as the platform is sheared from the tower with a massive explosion.

"LOOK OUT!" Sonic barks, but gravity pulls the large ornate structure to the ground fast.

All four dragons, frozen in the moment, are pummeled from above by a land slide of marble and magic stone.

* * *

><p>Walking by his side, but unable to see him, the Dark Master can only hear Sparx' footsteps on the concrete road. A very uneasy feeling fills his black heart, realizing no matter how hard he looks, he cannot see the young dragon...not even his movement.<p>

"Are you sure you want to face me alone tiny whelpling?" The Dark Master remarks, stopping his feet and slowly reappearing in the narrow roads between the Northern and Eastern Squares. His eyes focused on the slightest flicker of activity, picking out Sparx' silhouette, and smiling at the youngster.

"I know your father cannot beat me, and Malefor is to predictable!" He remarks, trying to insight the young dragon to move again, hoping to get a true fix on his position. However, when Sparx reappears behind him.

"Are you talking to me..." He remarks, snapping the Dark Master's head around to the sound of his voice. "...because I'm over here!"

"How in the name of..."

The Dark Master's pupils narrow with anger, leaving two thin black slits of Onyx color cutting through his dark yellow irises. He focuses on the pure white eyes of his adversary, and a grumble of anger comes from the back of his throat. However, after a moment of pause, the Dark Master chuckles.

"So...you are pretty good with the Light element." He says, turning his head back to the spot he left Cynder and Tycor.

"I'm sure you didn't learn that from Spyro..." He remarks sarcastically, returning his eyes to Sparx. "...since he is too weak for such power!"

"Humph!" The little dragon replies, turning his head slightly to the right, but never taking his eye from the Dark Master.

"Perhaps..." Sparx replies calmly, then his full attention returns to the Dark Master, and the stare he gives shakes the evil energy creature to his core.

"...so I guess it was a good thing that you sent me to train Malefor!"

The Dark Master is floored by the subtle remark, and more so as Sparx uses his own tactic to taunt.

"It's almost poetic justice...that you will be the reason for your own downfall..." the young dragon continues, nonchalantly turning his back to the powerful master of evil. "...I almost feel sorry for you..."

Sparx turns his head, and smiles arrogantly.

"...almost!"

A larger smile fills his face, as the Dark Master becomes irate, and his pulsing body of energy begins to fluctuate.

"WHY YOU LITTLE BAS..."

Sparx leaps at the Dark Master, slamming his left paw over his mouth, and driving the evil master into the building behind him. A look of complete shock fills the yellow eyes of the energy creature, but Sparx remains calm.

"SHHHH!" The little dragon says, holding his right paw up with one talon covering his mouth.

"If you want to fight me alone, then try to be quiet..." Sparx tauntingly remarks, returning his eyes to the Eastern Square. "...both Malefor and my Father have exceptional hearing, and I don't want to have to fight with them..."

Sparx eyes return to the Dark Master, and the look of arrogance is quickly replaced with rage. The purple stripe of his father's scales flashes with power, then change to black. The energy he is putting off begins to resonate inside the Dark Master, and his evil heart starts to pound as Sparx' grip increases ten fold.

"...because I want MY revenge this time!"

The two toned dark dragon snaps his body one hundred and eighty degrees, and whips his tail around. Without a blade or a yellow scale, like his mother or father, Sparx' tail has no wind resistance and crackles as it breaks the sound barrier just before smashing the Dark Master across his left cheek. The energy giant is tossed nearly half a block from the pure force, landing on the ground hard, and sliding several feet with the momentum of this incredible impact. He places his hand upon is jaw, staring back at the tiny dragon slowly returning to his feet, and his eyes show complete disbelief.

"HOW IN THE..."

Sparx stomps his front paws, then shows a deep anger to his opponent. He raises his right paw to his muzzle, holding up one talon, and making the silencing gesture once again.

"I told you to be quiet!" He says, aggravating the evil monster more.

With an absolute disregard for the enemy he is facing, little Sparx quickly gets under the Dark Master's...skin. He rises off the ground, hovering gently in the air, almost without care in his surroundings. The dark scales on his back, slowly beating with his calm heart, and Sparx can see this tactic his adoptive father showed him is working to a T.

"If you promise not to yell anymore..." The young dragon continues, pointing at the smile on his face. "I will let you take the first shot!"

Enraged beyond belief, The creature made of dark power charges again, this time building up a ball of energy around his right hand, and the young dragon doesn't move a muscle. The Dark Master plants his left foot just in front of Sparx, and uncorks a full swing from this power-filled fist.

Just as the leading edge of this ball of energy approaches the young dragon's face, Sparx disappears into the Shadow realm, and The Dark Master falls forward with the momentum of his complete miss. He gets only a few inches off balance before a powerful impact to his chest straightens him back up. His yellow and black eyes widen with pain, and fear begins to sink in as the young dragon reappears in the same spot he was a split-second ago.

"What just happened?" Sparx sarcastically asks, pulling his solid right paw back from the impact zone, and smiling at the Dark Master's anguish. "I think something hit my fist!"

The large energy giant holds his chest with pain, and his eyes show the deep shock of underestimation.

"HOW DARE YOU!"

Sparx' smile drops away fast, and sheer rage digs deep lines of anger into the young dragon's features.

"I told you..."

In the blink of an eye, Sparx leaps at the Dark Master, and his body solidifies into stone. The young dragon's granite fist strikes the energy giant directly in the mouth.

"...BE QUIET!"

The Dark Master becomes nervous. He can feel the overwhelming power of the little dragon now, and doesn't understand how.

"This is impossible!" He says, looking into the nonchalant eyes of his opponent. "You were not that strong before on Gehenna."

The young dragon shows a bit of unsureness in his eye, then realizes that must have been the name of that planet he attacked him on.

"I was not fighting at full strength, you fool!" Sparx replies, remembering the output of energy he released when Gaven sent him back to help Spyro and Malefor, then an unknown attack left him powerless.

"You dropped that purple crystal on me, and I had nothing to fight with..." Sparx disappears again, and the Dark Master becomes even more nervous, as the young dragon taunts him from thin air. "...but now, you are the one that has nothing!"

A Flash of gold accompanies the sudden impact to his face, and the Dark Master falls backward on his butt. His shock is trumped only by his fear, feeling the sting of pain upon his jaw, and seeing no sign of the dragon that hit him.

"This is how you fight..." Sparx continues from nothingness, and the Dark Master is struck again, seeing the same flash of the young dragon's colors before impact.

"...like a coward, you will only attack someone who cannot defend themselves."

Sparx reappears, and his eyes lock dead upon the frightened narrowed pupils of the Dark Master.

"But I am not like you..." He says, returning his attention to the Eastern Square. "...I will show my opponent who they are fighting, just like my fathers."

The Dark Master slowly returns to his feet, looking down at the much smaller dragon, and not understanding his incredible power.

"How dare you!" He says this time with a softer tone, and Sparx chuckles hearing the concession in his voice.

"That's much better!" The young dragon sarcastically remarks, sitting down on his hind quarters, and stretching his front paws out to loosen up.

"Now, do we go over to the North Square, and fight fairly, or do I just continue to assault you in the dark!"

The self-centered, so-called Master of the Universe, becomes irate...but says nothing. He turns his attention to the North Square, and slowly walks in that direction again.

Sparx, unbelievably, strides up alongside of the large energy giant, and walks with him to the large open area.

"That was a smart choice..." The young dragon says, looking up at the Dark Master with a snide grin, and continuing to question his superiority. "...I was about to end this standoff with extreme prejudice!"

The energy giant stops his feet, and Sparx halts himself, looking back and showing anger. However, fearing the repercussions of his defiant action, the Dark Master starts to walk again. They continue into the open area of New Warfang's Town Center, and both stare at each other for a moment.

"You are so sure of yourself..." The Dark Master says with a return of some stability in his voice, staring into the youngster white eyes, and trying his best to taunt Sparx into making a mistake.

"...you are much like Malefor in that regard..." He continues, building up to a very powerful attempt at distraction.

"...in fact...I think you are his son by blood, and your mother has lied to you for years!"

The young dragon tries to brush off that thought, but the Dark Master adds to his insult against the young dragon, causing him to become irate.

"Cynder was in love with Malefor, before meeting Spyro..." He continues, and smiles inside as the anger in Sparx eyes becomes evident.

"...and I'm sure they must have enjoyed all that time together...alone in hell!"

"YOU BASTARD!" The young dragon barks, leaping at the Dark Master with blind rage.

The evil giant smiles, as Sparx leaps at him, and changes his elemental structure, turning to a powerful storm of electric energy.

The young dragon, unable to stop his momentum, flies into the pulsing Dark Master, and is electrocuted with a vast amount of energy.

"Shhhh...little whelpling..." The Dark Master taunts, changing his body to water, and holding Sparx within. He makes sure his mouth and nose stay submerged inside, and repeats the sarcastic remark the young dragon gave him before.

"...we don't want your father's to hear you struggle, and come to your aid."

This insult smacks Sparx in the face, and a sudden image of Malefor appears in his mind.

"_Do not let him get under your scales, my young friend...or he will control the battle!" _

A warning that the old dragon gave a thousand times in hell, as this was the mistake that cost him everything.

"_That was dumb!"_ He says to himself, and stops flailing, taking a moment inside the Dark Master's watery frame to think.

The evil giant smiles, believing that Sparx is losing his strength, and this fight is over. He knows the limited ability of a purple dragon to control water, and is confident that he has won this fight quickly. However, when the youngster takes a breath underwater, then smiles again, the Dark Master becomes worried, and more so as Sparx' voice begins to echo in his head.

"_You are not the only one that can control this difficult element..."_ The young dragon remarks, showing images of him being trained by a very powerful Water Serpent. _"...your former puppet showed me how not to fall victim to the same attack you used against Malefor."_

Within the cold water of the Dark Master's body, Sparx calms down.

"_Now I will show you what my...FATHER, taught me about FIRE!"_

A prism of light from the Dark Master's watery body, casts a rainbow of color around the Town Square, as Sparx ignites into an inferno. He tries to release a scream of pain, but the young dragon's fiery paw comes from his chest, and covers his mouth.

"Oops..." Sparx' voice echoes in the Dark Master's head, and he returns to his normal flesh and scales. "...that was my fault!"

The Dark Master forces the young dragon from his body, returning himself to normal as well, and staring with shock at the small whelpling.

"This is insane!" He remarks, staring into the confident eyes of his opponent. "How can you be this strong?"

The young dragon sits upon his hind quarters, and looks up at the Dark Master, showing him a glare of anger with his reasoning.

"It's simple..." He starts, looking back to the East Square.

"...my father's, though they are strong, were never pushed into battle at such an early age."

The youngster returns his eyes to the Dark Master, and his anger digs deep into the evil creature's soul.

"I started before my first birthday, and have never stopped until this last month..."

Sparx lowers his head recalling all of his fights in hell, and even though there has been a war declared on the Dragon Worlds, this reality is peaceful compared to the hell he grew up in for eight years.

"...I have fought my entire life, and now, knowing you are all that stands between me and my family's safety...how could I not feel invincible!"

Sparx again looks back to the East Square, and smiles feeling his mother's energy returning to the real world. His heart sings, sensing the love of his parents, and the pride that is coming from his other father.

"In fact...I'm almost upset that it will end today, because I don't know much about peace..." The young dragon pauses, and suddenly returns his eyes to the Dark Master.

"...but I am a very good learner!"

With a build up of his energy, the young dragon no longer cares who can sense or see this display of power he is about to unleash. The Dark Master's eyes open with the sight of his possible demise, and feels helpless in his surroundings. He cannot fathom the raw energy this little whelpling is calling upon, but knows it is strong enough to do massive damage.

"It's a terrible feeling...is it not?" Sparx voice bellows deeply from the strain on his body. "Helplessness and despair is what you used to hurt my mother and father, and now you can feel it's grip on YOUR soul!"

As the glowing energy around Spyro and Cynder's son increases, the Dark Master senses the end, and his heart tenses up with the thought. However, at the last moment, his wandering eyes focus upon his only chance, and the Dark Master uses it quickly.

The terrified energy giant fires a shot of pure Convexity, and Sparx is taken by surprise as this attack is not at him, but towards the Main Tower. His eye follow the ball of energy, and fear overtakes him noticing his grandparents are in it's path.

"NO!...GRANDM..."

With his head turned, the Dark Master takes his only opportunity, and leaps upon the small dragon's back. He overwhelms the little whelpling with his size, and quickly slams a tight grasp of his muzzle, forcing his Magic painfully into his nostrils.

Sparx bucks violently, but the Dark Master knowing this is his only chance, uses every bit of his strength to hold the little powder keg of energy. He sends another pulse of Dark magic into Sparx' body, flooding the area with power, and burning the golden scales of his chest.

Muffled screams of pain fill the Dark Master's hand, and more so as Sparx watches the entire balcony collapse down to the Eastern Square, where his parents are standing.

"It looks like you won't have to kill your parents after all..." The Dark Master taunts, and Sparx jostles violently in his grasp. The Dark Master pumps more of his evil essence into the struggling whelpling, feeling a sudden control of his new puppets action.

"...that's right young dragon, you will do as I tell you from this day forward..."

Sparx stops flailing, and holds his breath, but the Dark Master electrifies his frame, forcing another deep inhale to be taken by his pain-filled body.

He begins breathing uncontrollably, taking every last bit of the evil creature's energy, until nothing remains but the two-toned purple dragon.

"_...I own you, and you will follow my orders!" _A voice echos inside head, and Sparx eyes slowly reopen. They are blood red in color, and locked upon the Eastern Side of the city.

"Yes my master...I will obey!"


	47. Spirit & Fury (part II)

**Well now...I must say I am sorry for the time it took to post this chapter. My computer is in a room with no AC, and it was hot this week. **

** I also must apologize for my failure in finishing this fight...yup, Part III is in the works, and will be up soon. **

* * *

><p>Chapter 47 Spirit &amp; Fury (part II)<p>

Down by the East Gate, Excelcius and Ampere have gathered everyone together, and helped them into a massive cave near the city. A refuge area for an attack, this granite mountain usually provides abundant cover, however, the battle going on inside the city shakes the stone like Jell-o.

"We need to get everyone back outside!" Ampere remarks, staring into the confident eyes of her boyfriend and former leader. "It's not safe here!"

"I agree!" Excelcius replies, then turns his attention to several stone dragons.

"Keep this place from collapsing..." He remarks, then strides towards the cave entrance. "...you need to hold the roof up until everyone is out!"

The call of those words starts the exodus, and calmly the entire population of New Warfang begins to file outside, and back into the Great Lawn. It takes only a few minutes for the crowd to empty the large cave, and Excelcius remains behind until the very last Manweresmall is out of the unstable structure.

Suddenly, several screams of fear echo into the cave, and the new Fire Guardian snaps to attention.

"By the Ancestors...what now!"

Excelcius turns to Fire, and wisps from the cave at incredible speed. The warmth of his body, singes several hairs on Hunter's head, as he flies over, and the large cat quickly gives chase to investigate alongside the former Palace Guard.

Both Excelcius and Hunter's eyes lock on a glow of energy, filling the sky from the Great Lawn, and fear fills the Fire Dragon's heart.

"Oh no!" He says, knowing he just sent everyone out into the Great Lawn. "What have I done?"

Suddenly the sound of cheering and applause fills the air, and both Excelcius and Hunter stop dead in their tracks.

"What is going on?" They both say, each with a puzzled expression. However, another thunderous ovation gets the two moving again.

Excelcius raises up over the rocks, as Hunter dashes the remaining hundred yards, to clear their vision to the Great Lawn, and a smile fills their faces. A large portal is open, and several Skylanders have already emerged.

However, to their chagrin, the portal then closes off, leaving only three to help.

As both dragon and cheetah approach, they quickly recognize Jak and Daxter, as both have been to Avalar with Spyro on several occasions, however the other, armor-clad Skylander, is unfamiliar until his raises the face plate of his helmet.

"By the Ancestors!" Hunter remarks with complete surprise. "That's the Portal Master!"

Gaven stands tall in the center of the lawn, staring at the large dome covering the city, and showing the anger marks on the small part of his face that is visible.

"EVERYONE STAND BACK!" The old giant calls out, and the population of Avalar heed the words of this massive warrior.

Gaven taps several buttons on his wrist communicator, and another portal opens.

Ten times larger than the first, the power this oval disk of energy throws off, pushes the smaller Manweresmalls back with great force.

All eyes focus with awe, as the largest Skylander, they've ever seen, emerges from the huge spacial rift.

"Great citizens of Avalar..." Gaven barks, hearing the concern in everyone's voice, and trying his best to introduce his newest recruit.

"...this is Hot Head...and he is here to help!"

The crowd sits in frozen disbelief, as the nearly fifty foot tall volcanic giant stands straight up after entering into this world.

"HELLO EVERYONE!" The large creature's voice bellows, shaking the souls of everyone smaller than a dragon, and even some of them are shivering from this creatures size. He can see the fear in every eye facing him, and he tenses up for a moment. The molten rock in his body begins to heat, and the giant Skylander can feel a vast amount of pressure...inside and out.

However, one child in the crowd shows a slight smile, and Hot Head cools his jets. The large volcanic man calms down, and repeats a message that Spyro has made every Skylander say when first arriving on Avalar.

"By the Ancestors, I swear to defend the Dragon Worlds!" And everyone cheers the new Skylander as if he were Sonic the Hedgehog, or even the Great Hero of Avalar himself for that matter.

"Spyro and Sonic are in trouble, Jak!" Daxter, a small orange loud-mouth ottsel, remarks to his master.

The tiny trouble maker, is never more then a few feet from his friend, and is holding a small tracking device in his palm.

"They're in the city..." The trashy little rodent remarks, pausing to stare at the dome-shaped force-field. "...behind that shield of energy that kinda looks like a woman's boo..."

"DAXTER!" Jak cuts his friend off with embarrassed anger, staring at him, then at the groups of children that have come closer to their heroes.

"BOOT!" Daxter remarks, seeing the many children waiting on his words. "It looks like a woman's boot!"

Jak laughs as his friend blushes with embarrassment as well, but straightens up as soon as Gaven speaks.

"ENOUGH!" The Portal Master barks, still burning inside from the news of Teridor's death.

The Skylanders have seen Gaven mad before, but he has never gone on a mission, and even Daxter comes to attention as the Portal Master make his anger known.

"There will be no joy in this world or the next, if we allow this cowardly bastard to escape again..." Gaven remarks, then scans the eyes of his fellow Skylanders, and nods with a confidence in his words.

"...either he dies here, or we die trying!"

Hot Head grunts a simple ho-rah, and lets off a burst of steam to show he is ready.

Jak lowers his goggles over his eyes, pulls his gloves tighter, and removes the large peacemaker from his back.

Daxter leaps up onto his master shoulder, getting closer to Gaven's ear.

"How about we try real hard, Master Gaven..." The annoying ottsel barks sarcastically, and Gaven shows a bit of a smirk, hearing the snide way the orange sidekick pumps himself up.

"...because my bar is filled with hot chicks, plenty of booze, and I'll do more than just TRY...to get back home to enjoy that!"

Jak chuckles, and so does Gaven. The Portal Master nods his head to the tiny orange rodent.

"The first round is on you Daxter!" He smugly remarks, and Jak's eyes open wide hearing the old master consent to his friend's idea of planning an after-party.

"However..." The Portal Master continues, lowering his face shield, and readying for battle. "...I wish to have the first drink with Spyro and Sonic, and that will not happen if we stand here!"

* * *

><p>In the Dragon's palace, the tapping of talons on the stairs, one flight above, allows little Nicholas to know where his sisters are. He becomes anxious as those taps get softer, believing they are getting further from him.<p>

"SLOW DOWN!" He yelps, his voice echoing throughout the tall winding staircase.

However, when he turns the next corner, he can see the reason for quieter footsteps from his sisters, as both have slowed there ascent to a crawl.

The looks of anguish on their faces is very worrisome to the young whelpling, and his high squealing voice is evidence to his emotions.

"What's the matter?" He cries out, quickly placing his paw on Catarina's forehead, seeing a pale look on her face.

"I don't know!" She replies, and helps her sister up the last three steps to a the next landing, and both dragons lay down completely exhausted.

"I told you to pace yourselves" Nicholas barks, but Catarina looks at him with concern in her eyes.

"We did, Nick..." She cries, then both she and Gianna moan with a pulse of pain at the same time.

"Hey!" The young dragon cries, seeing his sisters suffering for a few seconds, but then the pain goes away, and Catarina begins to cry.

"I don't know what's going on!?" She yelps, not understanding the pain she felt, or where it came from.

"What can I do?" Nick asks with pure fear, laying beside his sisters, and showing a set of eyes that trigger a vision in Catarina's head. It is the same look she saw as the three kids were drowning in an unforeseen flood.

"Do you want me to stay here?" Nicholas continues, and Catarina snaps her head to the next fight of steps, looking up at her escape.

"NO...We keep going up." Catarina replies, slowly getting to her feet as more control is felt in her muscles. The young blue and green dragoness lifts her sister up, and Nicholas helps lay her across Catarina's back.

"We need to get away from whatever is going on down there." She barks with authority, then looks down at her little brother.

"We will not be drowning today!"

The small, two-toned blue dragon nods his head, and places a paw on his sister's arm.

"You are strong, and I feel safe by your side..." He remarks with no thought of what his young mind is saying, but only telling his sister how he feels.

"...I almost feel like I'm with Mom or Dad, when I'm with you."

Tears spill from the blue eyes of the young dragoness, hearing such confidence from her brother, and even after the tragedy from a year before, is still ready to follow her lead without question.

"Come on Mom!" Gianna whisper from her back, and Catarina turns her head to look at her sister. "Get us out of this hole already!"

With a sudden pulse of energy, the young dragon tosses her sister a smile, then folds her wings back to secure Gianna tighter.

"Keep up little brother..." She remarks, leaping the first three stairs with the extra weight on her back, and holding Gianna firmly with her wings. "...we only have a few more flights till we reach the top!"

Nicholas stays right on her tail, spending the energy he has saved by pacing his ascent, and also not carrying half of his weight. The young whelpling, with pride in his eyes, will not fall behind the sister that is showing such strength, hoping only to gain her respect.

"I won't let you get away from me Catarina!" The little blue dragon exclaims, leaping every other step like his larger sister. "I'm gonna beat you to the top..."

Nicholas boldly leaps two full steps, taking a slim lead ahead of his sister. The younger dragon cuts a sharp path on the next landing, and expands his lead.

"...and this time, you're gonna do MY chores!"

Catarina laughs at his brother presumption of the same bet they always make, but tightens her grip on Gianna.

"Get him, Cat!" The young red dragon barks, holding on to her sister, allowing Catarina to run harder. "Don't let him win...he won't stop bragging!"

Catarina picks up her pace, knowing Gianna is holding on tighter, and feeling better for that matter. The older sister, feeling what seemed like the same pain, questions Gianna while chasing her brother.

"What was that?" She simply asks, and the younger, and smarter dragon, has no simple answer.

"It was a drain of energy, Catarina!" She replies, matter of factually.

The older dragon skips a step, almost losing balance, but keeps her feet, and continues her chase. Nicholas, not looking back, takes a larger lead, and Catarina picks up the pace once more. She does not want to lose, but Gianna's response has her taken her attention.

"What are you talking about!"

Gianna snorts a warm breath of air on her sister's neck, and the Ice dragon quickly gives her more attention.

"I can't believe Cyril hasn't taught you about magical surge!" Gianna remarks, again with pompousness in her voice, knowing more than her sister.

"NO...he hasn't"

Gianna chuckles, and pats her sister's neck.

"I guess not having a fire guardian to teach us, can sometimes be a plus..." She remarks sarcastically, returning the mean comments all fire dragons have heard from their peers. "...we get the knowledge of all the Guardians."

Catarina takes a harder turn then expected, and Gianna holds on desperately to stay on her sister's back.

"WELL!" The older sister barks, leaping several steps violently, catching her brother with the adrenaline of Gianna's smugness.

"What do us dumb dragons not know!"

Gianna drops the smug routine, and quickly answers her sister, hoping she will stop running so hard.

"Master Volteer has taught us about transferring power, and that is what it felt like!" She says with fear, and Catarina immediately calms her pace, now wanting to hear about this power.

"I don't know what happened, Catarina...honest!" Gianna continues, making sure her sister believes her, and doesn't start running hard again. "But I have no magic left in my body...I can tell, and it felt like I gave it all away in a second!"

Catarina still trying to keep pace with her brother, takes a moment to fire an Ice projectile to the side. However, when nothing comes from her mouth, the young dragoness becomes worried.

"How did that happen?" She asks with wonder, knowing she was fully charged with magic power before leaving home.

"That I don't understand!" Gianna replies, but locks her eyes on Nicholas, running harder, not feeling any effects of the pulse of energy that hit her and Catarina.

"But it makes perfect sense, Cat...I mean, look at him!" She continues, and Catarina stares at her brother, watching him increase his lead.

"He has never tasted the ancestral power yet...he's only two!" Gianna remarks, then holds her sister tighter. "It had no effect on him, but we couldn't move...and it hurt really bad!"

"I know!" The older dragon replies, skipping another step, and regaining her balance once more.

Both dragonesses can feel each others worry, as they continue up the last few flights, hoping not to feel the sensation of what they felt a moment ago. However, a sudden yelp of exuberance, takes both of their attention.

"I WON!" Nicholas' voice can be heard echoing down the last flight to Gianna and Catarina's ears, and both dragons smile, hearing their brother so happy, and also hearing that the climb is over.

The sight of the upper reception room, or basically the greeting area for the Great Elder, sends chills down the older sister's back, seeing a sight that she has only been told about in history classes.

"I can't believe we're up here!" Gianna remarks, slowly sliding from her sister's back. The younger dragon takes her own feet gently, and hobbles beside Catarina, still feeling a bit weak from a quick drop in power.

"But now what do we do?"

Catarina frowns, not really thinking that far ahead, just trying to get away from the immediate danger.

"I don't know..." She replies, looking at her brother, still rejoicing in his victory.

Catarina smiles for a moment, remembering the fun she had with Nicholas and Gianna, before venturing out into the street a year ago. She takes a deep breath, and makes a decision she should have made then.

"...but this time...we just wait out the storm here!"

"CATARINA...LOOK!" Nicholas barks, getting his sister's attention with the sound of fear in his voice.

Both quickly run to their younger brother, whom has walked around into the main hallway. Gianna and Catarina come to a grinding stop with the same look of fear in their eyes as their brother. The entire balcony, sitting over two thousand feet above the fight, is gone.

"How did they do this?" Gianna remarks, looking at her sister with pure fear, realizing that nowhere is safe to ride out the storm below.

Suddenly she squints from a sharp pain inside, and only a moment later, Catarina feels the same pain. Both collapse to the floor, shuttering from a draw of energy they cannot control.

"NO!" Nicholas barks, watching his sisters fall to the ground again, and howl in agony from an unknown force.

However, the sounds of energy pulsing from behind, startle the young dragon, and he turns to see the force-field around the city fluctuate with energy. The smart little dragon returns his eyes to Catarina and Gianna, and they open wide, realizing the pulse from the energy field is the cause of his sister's pain.

"It's the shield!" Nick barks, grasping his sister's paw, trying to help her back to her feet. "We have to go back down, Catarina...Come on!"

The young dragoness opens her eyes, and tells her brother she cannot move with just a pain-filled glance.

The little whelpling becomes terrified, as the pulse of energy coming from the force-field increases, and Gianna and Catarina begin to scream with pain. The shield, drawing magic energy from all around, begins to pull the ancestral power buried deep inside the two young dragoness, and the drain of energy is overwhelming to say the least.

"STOP IT!" The smallest of three cries out at the shield of energy, watching his sister's shutter with its power. He quickly leaps off the broken balcony, flying up closer, and releasing his childish rage with a primal scream.

"STOP HURTING MY SISTERS!"

However, the force-field continues to fluctuate, and his sister continue to feel the pain.

Nicholas begins to cry, then looks up towards the heavens. Hovering two thousand feet above the city, he should feel on top of the world, but only his sister's agony is what he can feel.

"Please Ancestors!" He says aloud, hoping his prayers can be heard from this high in the air "Help me, to help my sisters!"

As the young dragon pleads, the sound of a large impact takes the youngster's attention to the East Gate, and he can see the reason for the shield's sudden need for power.

A very large stone-like creature is smashing his fists against the shield, trying to get in. His actions, causing a ripple of power throughout the whole force-field.

The young dragon looks up again, hoping for some wisdom from the great ancestors.

"Please...tell me what I can do to..."

Suddenly Nicholas stops talking to the gods, and his eyes focus on one thing.

Fluctuating with the same power, the young dragon spots a large pearl-shaped orb perched at the top of the tower, and a large smile fills his face.

"Thank You Ancestors!" He remarks, knowing he would not have seen it without looking towards the heavens, then thrusts his small wings down to gain more height.

* * *

><p>Cynder's eyes close tightly, after catching a glimpse of the main balcony falling from the Dragon's Palace. Her heart stops, knowing how drained her body is of magic, and realizing she cannot jump into the Shadow Realm with her husband.<p>

Suddenly the constricting grip of stone envelops her, and she yelps, however, the dark purple and white highlighted dragoness notices there is no pain. The stone is cradling her, soft and gentle, as if the rock has cased her in a protective shell, and Spyro's distorted voice is heard over the tremendous crash of the balcony to the ground.

"I will never let anything hurt you again."

Spyro tightens the grip of his stone arms around her red chest, and lowers his rock solid body down upon his wife, covering every square inch of Cynder's frame. His voice becomes soft, and even with the thunder of falling stone smashing his back, Spyro repeats a vow he gave to his wife on their wedding day.

"I promised to guard you with my life, forever."

Malefor provides, nearly, the same protection for a Spiritually weakened Earth Dragon, with the exception of professing his love, and hugging him tightly.

Tycor lays motionless, but wide awake, staring at the pile of stone lying atop Spyro and Cynder.

"Malefor...leave me alone and help them..." He barks, but the rock pile suddenly jostles with movement, and Spyro pops his stone head up.

"...or maybe there is no need for that!"

Sonic zips up to his friend quickly, seeing him help Cynder from under the pile. The tiny blue hedgehog delicately spins his body against the jagged rocks, smoothing out a path for Spyro's wife to climb down.

"Thanks Sonic..." He says with kindness, leaping from the pile of the destroyed balcony, and returning to his normal purple color. He looks directly into the Hedgehog's eyes and smiles. "...I appreciate your..."

"WHERE IS SPARX?" Cynder cuts her husband off, looking around frantically, suddenly noticing her son is no where to be seen.

"Did you guys see him when you came into the city?" She cries turning to look her husband in the eyes.

Spyro becomes concerned in a moment, and looks down to Sonic.

"Find him General!"

"Yes Sir!" The hedgehog replies, and takes off like a shot into the city streets.

"Don't worry, honey..." Spyro remarks, wrapping his wing around Cynder, and pulling her into a comforting embrace. "...we'll find him, I promise!"

"I hope so Spyro, I can't live without my..."

Cynder stops talking abruptly, feeling a pain in her chest that both Malefor and Spyro sense as well. Monsoon and Tycor can also tell the disturbance of power in the area, but they only feel it as a surge of energy. However, the two fathers and one mother know the energy of their son...and it is dropping fast. With great haste, both purple dragons head towards the Northern Square

"SPARX!" Cynder screams, turning to follow her husband into the heart of the city.

The three dragons enter the main town square, and come to a grinding stop.

"_Where am I?" Sparx says to himself, staring at the interior walls of a very familiar cave. A place he has not been in two years, and a place that holds so many bad memories for the young dragon._

"_You don't recognize your home?" A voice calls out from nothingness, and Sparx cringes with the sound of the Dark Master's words, once more possessing his mind. _

_He can feel the same cold shiver down his spine, a chill he felt for almost a month while in the medical bay. A feeling that consumed him, and never allowed the young dragon's mind a moments rest, constantly keeping him awake, and slowly breaking his spirit._

_However, this time Sparx understands what is happening. The young dragon pauses, looks around at his surroundings again, then suddenly pushes out his chest._

"_This is not my home..." Sparx focuses his eyes to the entrance of the cave, and a very angry scowl fills his face. "...this is the place you sent my mother to die..."_

_The young dragon looks up slightly, and continues aloud for the evil master to hear him clearly_

"_...and you failed at that too!"_

"_HOW DARE YOU!" The Dark Master barks, appearing before the small whelpling in his mind. _

_His body begins to pulse with wisps of black lightning, as the anger-filled energy creature rages with the nonchalant attitude of Spyro's son._

"_YOU WILL BOW TO ME BOY!" The angry master of evil beckons, and Sparx just sits down on his haunches._

"_I do not think so!" He replies sarcastically, showing complete disregard for his predicament._

_The Dark Master becomes enraged, and begins to lose control. He charges the young whelping, swinging his foot at his head, but Sparx easily dodges the feral strike, and taunts the one trying to control him._

"_Is THIS...what I was afraid of?" He remarks, then pauses for a moment, before turning his back to the Dark Master once more. "Maybe I should stand like this so you have a fighting chance."_

_The Dark Master remains speechless for a second, but then quickly he snaps. _

_With intense rage, the much larger energy creature lunges at the tiny whelpling, punching and kicking for all his worth. However, nothing hits the youngster, as he seems to just disappear and reappear in different spot. After nearly a dozen attempts to strike the elusive dragon, the Dark Master stops, and catches his breath._

"_You are not faster than Time..." Sparx says arrogantly, then smiles at the Dark Master. "...and now I'll show you how I use my Time properly."_

_Sparx disappears in an instant, then reappears as a flash in hundreds of different places at once. The Dark Master feels his body struck a thousand times in a second, as the young dragon stops times, strikes hard, and moves instantly. The intense beating lasts only five seconds, but the Dark Master is left in tremendous agony from the savageness of such an attack._

_However, while Sparx was showing off his power, the Dark Master feels something other than the beating, and sees an image that is as clear as day. _

_Using this overload of power, Sparx is unable to stop the Dark Master from reading his thoughts, and a white German Shepard that he is very familiar with appears in his mind._

_He can see the incredible amount of guilt in the young dragon's soul, guilt that Sparx has been holding onto for years, and a single thought that has consumed his heart. Unleashing a savage attack on the young dragon's mind, the Dark Master finds a way to free himself from this impossible situation. _

"_SPARX!" _

_The young dragon stops suddenly, and his ears perk up hearing a voice he has not heard in two years, and knowing that voice was silenced forever._

"_MOM..." He says to himself, hearing the familiar sounds of footsteps coming into his old home. "...is that you?"_

_Suddenly his eyes lock upon the old white German Shepard that truly raised him, and tears quickly fill his eyes._

"_I cannot believe you did that to me!"_

_The words from her mouth startle the young dragon, and more so as an anger, she never showed him, fills her eyes. Sparx cringes at the sight of his mother staring at him, like she would at one of the hellish demons from his past, but hearing the hatred lacing her voice, drives him down to the ground._

"_What did I do?" He asks, already losing control of his emotions, knowing exactly what her response will be, for he knows it to be true in his mind._

"_IT'S YOUR FAULT...I'M DEAD!"_

_The young dragon breaks down crying, and the Dark Master cinches his grip on the young dragon's soul, as Snow turns and walks away from him._

"_You see how futile this is Sparx." He quips, than turns his head to the exit of the cave, calling his army to finish the job. "I won't need to fight you to win!"_

_Hearing the thunderous stamped of footsteps, Sparx gets back to his feet. He tries to clear his mind of what just happened, but it is impossible to forget. Even as dozens of dog-like demons converge upon him, the young dragon can think of only one thing, and it doesn't take long before the army of evil creatures begin to overwhelm Sparx._

"_Soon my friend...I will be unstoppable!"_

"Oh no!" Cynder cries, seeing her son lying on the ground in the Town Square, and quickly running to his side.

"NO..." Malefor barks, seeing the young dragon's eyes, but Cynder is off like a shot, reaching her child with just two large gliding leaps.

"...That's not Sparx, Cynder!"

She turns back to Malefor, showing anger at his audacity, not believing that she knows her own child. However, Cynder quickly notices Spyro's face become frightened, not unlike what he must have seen from her, the day he was attacked from behind by the Dark Master.

Cynder turns her head back to her son, only to met with a vicious slash from Sparx' right paw. The startled mother is thrown to the ground by the force of this unsuspecting attack, and she grasps her muzzle with pain.

The sight of blood coming from his mother's face, startles the young dragon, and he shakes his head, almost like he is trying to clear his mind. However, after a moment, his eyes flash red with an evil power, and they lock upon the defenseless Cynder.

Both Spyro and his wife are frozen solid with fear and anguish, and neither make a move to stop their son as he pounces.

"NO!" She cries, and just covers herself with a wing.

However, Malefor is quick to her defense, snatching the young dragon mid-leap, and tumbling away from his horrified mother.

"Get her out of here, Spyro!" The large dragon barks, holding the powder-keg of energy down with his front paws.

The younger purple dragon snaps out of his haze of disbelief, and focuses on the large dragon holding his son down. He can see Malefor is using kid gloves, not attacking his son, but just trying to restrain him, so Spyro does as instructed, and helps Cynder.

Leaping to his wife, and lifting her into his arms, he can see the tears mixed with blood, from being struck by her son. The young husband can feel his heart fill his throat, noticing that Cynder's scales have returned to their original dark color, expressing a depression that does not need words to be understood.

"It's not him, Cynder..." He says, lifting up off the ground, watching with anxiousness as Malefor holds his son down harder. "...we will help him, but you need to leave!"

The rampaging whelpling locks his red eyes upon his father, and hearing what he said, rage boils over once more. His voice growls with anger, and he bites the paw Malefor is holding him down with.

The large dragon yelps in pain, then his wind is taken in the next second. Sparx kicks his hind legs up at the same time, slamming Malefor in the chest with a powerful blow, and lofting him several yards away.

The small two-toned dragon jumps to his feet, staring at Spyro and Cynder, snarling and spitting like a mindless demon. Sparx begins to drool with anticipation of striking, and only turns his head slightly to check that Malefor is still down.

Before the larger purple dragon can rise to his feet again, the rage-filled dragon charges his parents blindly. He leaps at the stunned couple, lowering his head, and slamming directly into Spyro's chest.

The purple dragon lets out a blood curling scream, as his son's horns rip into his gold chest, and Spyro falls backward with the force.

The young dragon removes his horns from his father, and his eyes lock upon a familiar stare, and in seeing his own eyes, Sparx takes a deep breath, and suddenly snaps back to normal.

Spyro can see his son, looking back at him in horror, and he quickly places a paw on Sparx' neck, holding him gently but securely.

"Easy my son..." Spyro says with anguish in his voice, feeling the pain in his chest from the sudden impact. "...you need to calm yourself."

"Dad!?" The young dragon remarks with a questioning voice, not understanding how his father is under his feet, and viciously wounded.

"Sparx!" Cynder's voice echoes from behind, and he snaps his head around, showing his mother the same look of complete disbelief.

"I didn't..." He beings to say, then stops feeling a strange sensation rolling down the back of his neck.

The young dragon raises his paw up, tapping the wet area behind his horns, and looks at what he already expects to see.

BLOOD...the same blood he saw in a vision he just woke from, the blood that came from his father...after attacking him.

"Mom...help me!" He says, beginning to shake with fear, remembering the same nightmare he lived with for a month. He knows the Dark Master is inside, and this time he is unable to control the anger.

Like the day he went searching for his mother, and almost died in a muddy tomb, Sparx begins to hallucinate, picturing himself in a world from the past. Cynder begins to cry, as her son's eyes turn blood-red again.

"NO, Sparx!" She yelps, lunging toward him to use her Spiritual energy, but the grip of evil the Dark Master has is tight. He can see her coming, and will not let her do the same thing she did before with Tycor.

The Dark Master's yellow eyes appear, and he swats at Cynder once more, this time connecting with a precise punch to her jaw. The dark purple and red dragoness is cast aside with no effort, and Cynder lays motionless after grinding to a stop.

"NO!" Spyro barks, watching his son punch his mother with a viciousness that even Dark Malefor would never show to her. However, before Spyro can get back to his feet, the entranced whelpling wraps his tail around the purple dragon's neck

"What's the matter...DAD!" The Dark Master's voice remarks from Sparx' mouth, as he drags Spyro across the ground before his eyes. "I have found my true destiny!"

The young father is heartbroken and speechless seeing the yellow eyes of his enemy, now looking back at him from his son.

"Please Sparx..." He says with great sadness, and the young dragon tightens his grip around Spyro's throat, making it harder for him to speak, but he still tries.

"...you...must...fight!"

The young dragon's eyes flash back and forth from the evil Dark Master, to the purple eyes he sees in the mirror, and Spyro can tell his son is trying to come back.

"_It is impossible for you to fight me little whelpling..." The Dark Master remarks to the pile of demons covering the young son of Spyro. "...just give up like your father, Malefor, and we can kill this upstart of a purple menace._

_However, the little dragon's voice calls out with anger, as the mob of dog-like demons are cast from his body with an explosion of raw power._

"_SPYRO IS MY FATHER!"_

_The young dragon leaps at the energy creature before him, swatting his right paw towards the face of this evil monster trying to control him._

"_So predictable!" The Dark Master remarks under his breath, _and everything changes.

Sparx eyes fill with fear, as he realizes that he is back in the real world, and his paw has just connected across his father's neck.

Spyro is leveled with the force of this rage-filled strike, and Malefor, unable to get to up in time, watches helplessly as the young dragon he raised, shows him the nightmare he has had since realizing Sparx' power

"SPARX...STOP IT!" The large dragon barks, but Sparx simply ignores his former father, staring at the one he has come to feel completely at ease with, laying on the ground with his own claw marks across his throat, gasping for air.

"Dad!" He whimpers, lowering to the ground

_With the sight of what he did, the young dragon collapses with depression, and the Dark Master reappears in his mind._

"_Killing a loved one is very hard on your emotions..." He taunts the young whelpling, and Sparx looks up at the Dark Master with tears in his eyes. "...but, this will make it easier for me!"_

_The Dark Master kicks the young dragon as hard as he can, and Sparx is thrown against the wall of his former home in hell, cruelly shown to gain control of his mind._

"_I will make you yield to me..." He continues, grasping the small dragon by his muzzle, and lifting him off the ground by his face. He holds him eye to eye, squeezing his mouth closed tightly, and professing his absolute domination _

_"...and you will do as I say, or I will hurt you more than you can ever believe possible!"_

_The Dark Master, like Tycor, shows the young dragon a view of what his body is doing, and Sparx cringes as his eyes lock on Malefor. A blast of fury power streaks from his mouth across the North Square, and slams the large purple dragon flush._

"_STOP!" The young dragon tries to yell with his muzzle held shut, and the Dark Master tightens his grip, as Sparx shows more anguish._

The near adolescent dragon lowers to the ground, scanning the area, and locking eyes on the stunned Malefor, and now Monsoon, as he enters the North area. Sizing up his opponents, and seeing both Spyro and Cynder incapacitated, Sparx quickly heads towards the weaker blue dragon. His fighting style returning to that of a feral demon, charging with an uncontrollable rage, and showing no hesitation to kill.

Monsoon, startled at the young dragon's action, pauses, but only for a moment. A strong fountain of water erupts from his muzzle, dousing the small dragon with a surging wave, and pushing him back a few feet. However, the young dragon is smarter than the average mindless demon, and moves from the path.

Sparx uses his elemental power of Light to become invisible, and stealthily maneuvers around the torrent of water. His focus is only on the large Water Dragon, knowing two on one is never good odds, especially if the other dragon is a four million year 'experienced' Purple Dragon.

Sparx, camouflaged by Light, flies up for momentum, then glides down quietly, smashing the unsuspecting Monsoon in the left flank.

The Water Master never saw him coming, and is easy flipped off his feet by a dragon one-tenth his size. Sparx reappears before the large two-toned blue dragon's dark chest, his right paw is drawn back ready to strike.

"_You will kill every dragon on this planet..." The Dark Master remarks, still holding Sparx by his muzzle. "...and nothing you can do...will stop that!"_

_Unable to move, the young whelpling stares at the image shown to his mind, and the throat of another dragon that will soon by struck by his paws. He cannot help but feel depression, knowing that he will not be able to stop his action, and that another dragon will suffer the same painful death that his father is going through behind him._

_He can hear Spyro choking in the background, as his vicious wound leaves him powerless to do anything. And with Malefor lumbering on his feet in the distance, Sparx comes to grips with this situation. _

"_Please!" He says, and the Dark Master holds his puppet's paw from striking._

"_I will stop fighting you..." The young dragon remarks, as the grip around his muzzle is loosened. "...if you promise to let the dragons live!"_

"_NO!" He replies, staring coldly into Sparx' eyes. "You are in no position to make demands."_

Malefor limps quickly to stop Sparx from doing the Dark Master's deeds, and can feel an overwhelming depression consume his heart. He is seeing his life playing out all over again, but this time from the outside.

The large dragon grasp Sparx' paw before he can strike, however, Malefor is viciously electrocuted the moment he touches his former son. With great pain he holds on for dear life, but Sparx snaps his tail across his former father's jaw, and Malefor is cast aside once more.

With nothing else to obscure his attack, Sparx slashes Monsoon across the throat.

"_Like I said.." The Dark Master taunts young Sparx' spirit "...no position to make demands!"_

Spyro, holding his neck and desperately trying to gasp for air, painfully watches his son strike the helpless blue dragon across the throat. He leaves him gasping for air, like himself, however Spyro can regenerate, and it is the only reason he is not dead yet.

"NO, Sparx!" The young father tries to say, but his voice is broken, and his lungs have little air to carry his words.

"_Great ancestors of the past..."_ Spyro prays, feeling anguish at seeing his child transforming before his own eyes. _"...please help my son!"_

"_Why is always the Great Ancestors!" _A familiar voice calls inside Spyro's mind, and a soft grasp is felt upon his neck. _"Why is never...help me Great Elder!"_

Spyro's eyes open wide, hearing the voice of the old albino dragon, and the healing touch of a great friend.

"Because you hate that name!"

Diamond chuckles, as he begins to give Spiritual energy to the depressed father.

Laying in the street after Cynder and he had been struck by lightning, the old dragon has been camouflaged in Light, and watching intently to this struggle inside Sparx. He has waited for an opportunity to approach, knowing how frail he is, and realizing he'd have no chance with a face to face meeting. However, seeing the young dragon has many distractions, Diamond finally steps into the action.

"_I will help him Spyro...but I can only help him on the inside"_ He says to the young purple dragon, while healing the wounds on his neck.

"_However, I will warn you now..." _Diamond uses the little physical strength he has to lift Spyro up on his feet, and only his light purple eyes appear before the startled dragon.

"...Do not touch us, or interfere...UNDERSTAND!"

* * *

><p><strong>I assure you, there will not be a part IV...LOL. <strong>**I like cliffhangers, and I think the last one will be the best, so please stay tuned for the final installment of Spirit & Fury, then one more chapter for the finale. **

**Again I thank all that have reviewed, and gave me the advice that has pushed this story forward. **


	48. Spirit & Fury (part III)

**Well here it is folks, the end of the battle, and hopefully the end of the Dark Master. **

**Again I wish to thank everyone for the support, and appreciate the kind words many have shared. **

* * *

><p>Chapter 48 Spirit &amp; Fury (part III)<p>

"_This cannot be happening." The young son of Spyro says to himself, seeing the large blue dragon he just struck with his own paw continue to bleed._

"_But it is happening." The Dark Master's voice cuts into Sparx' thought, and the young dragon cringes with fear, believing this voice will haunt his soul forever._

"_One mistake, Sparx..." He remarks, reappearing to him as a White Shepard, and showing his first conquest as Dark Master. "...it was all she made, and I held her for centuries."_

_Suddenly and assembly of different characters appear to the young dragon, finishing with the large purple dragon that he last controlled._

"_He also made several mistakes..." Dark Malefor remarks, finally placing Sparx on the ground. _

"_...and raising you to be so weak-willed...was his biggest one."_

_Once again the scenery around the young dragon changes, and Sparx is startled as he is now standing in a rainy forest, and is the same age as in real life. The sounds and smells are faintly familiar in a haze of his memories, as he does and does not recognize where he is standing. Appearing to him only in a dream, this forest scares young Sparx, for he felt like his life almost ended here._

"_Does this place frighten you little dragon..." The Dark Master taunts, beginning a slow circling pace around the youngster, and taunting him from all sides. He can see the adolescent son shivering from the cold drops of water on his scales, but his fear is from a vision that Sparx cannot remove from his mind. _

_Suddenly, he is held tightly by an unseen force, constricting around him in a very familiar way. Sparx can feel the grip of helplessness envelop his whole body, and begins to struggle breathing. Like drowning in quicksand, the young dragon has felt this terror once before._

"_...come on now, you must remember the place were you found your DAD'S loyalty."_

_Sparx eyes open wide, suddenly realizing where he is, and the muddy tomb his father pulled him from. He turns his head to the right, and can see the exact spot where he sank into the ground, and prayed for help from his father Malefor. _

_However, when it was Spyro, who came all the way from Avalar on a single thought of his son's pain, a new patriarch was born in his heart. _

"_You truly believe This mud hole changed your life..." The Dark Master remarks, then his shape begins to shift once more. _

_Sparx begins to breathe heavily as he looks at himself, however, the yellow eyes of the Dark Master are staring back. _

"_...a fitting place for your soul to rest, while I take control of this life!"_

_Without another word, Dark Sparx rips his tail across the jaw of the real Sparx, and the young dragon is thrown off his feet. Falling back first, the two-toned purple and gold dragon is flung towards the quagmire of mud he almost died in once before._

"_I'm not gonna be stopped that easy..." Sparx barks, as his wings open wide, holding him above the thick soupy sands. "...I will not allow you to take me without a fight."_

"_A FIGHT!" The dark incarnation of himself replies with a bit of laughter in his voice. _

"_You dragons are stupid..." _

_The Dark Master focuses his eyes on the hovering whelpling, smiling with a complete confidence in his success. _

"_...my fight with you is over, and you lost..." The Dark Master remarks, then looks up. _

"_...this FIGHT is all YOURS!"_

_Sparx turns his attention up as well, only to be completely shocked. The purple dragon's eyes open wide with the sight of his former mother, Snow, dropping upon his back the same way Spyro did. However, instead of pulling him from his muddy grave, the White Shepard drives his face into the quicksands._

"_MOM!" His voice yelps, muffled with thick mud, and barely audible. "PLEASE!"_

"_Your mother left you, Sparx!" Snow replies in his ears, before forcing his head further down. "She went home to start her life over without you!"_

"_NO!" Sparx cries, as he thrashes his head back to the surface, however his actions force the back of his body down further into the quicksands. Just like the last time, Sparx begins to panic, as his body begins to sink deeper and deeper._

"_Cynder left you, because she wanted nothing to do with a child conceived by the WRONG dragon!"_

_Sparx stops flailing, and his heart is crushed hearing the same taunt from before, one that struck a nerve deep inside his young soul. _

"_That's not true." Sparx thinks to himself, and suddenly his head is pulled from the mud. _

"_Oh...is it..." The Dark Master remarks, holding his new puppet by the horns, and smiling at the control he can feel from the emotionally wrecked dragon. _

"_...What if I told you, your Mother was in that hell for three years, and not two!"_

_Sparx pauses again, unable to deny this claim, for he was not there to witness it._

"_Cynder never told you about her past, and how infatuated she was with Malefor!" He continues, holding Sparx' head above the sands, and pressing the rest of his hind quarters down. _

_Using a different device, the evil master holds Sparx without vines, but like Tycor, he uses a bevy of lies to keep the young dragon emotionally compromised._

"_I'm sure being together for so long, and after losing Spyro's egg, Cynder just decided to relight an old flame!"_

"_NO!" Sparx yelps, but the Dark Master forces his head under the mud, silencing his angered outburst. _

"_You were with your father the whole time!" The Dark Master barks with laughter in his voice, and Sparx can hear his taunt under the mud. His heart begins to pound in his chest, as the young dragon ponders the thought._

"_But...Spyro is my dad..." Sparx says to himself, now trying to convince his own feelings, and the Dark Master is able to cinch a tighter grip on his soul._

"_Malefor will be so proud his son has taken his place as ruler of the Dragon Realms!"_

_Sparx begins to cry, and begs for help as he did the last time he was in over his head, however, his prayer is focused at one specific dragon this time._

" _Spyro...DAD...I know you will come rescue me..." His voice resonates in the Dark Master's head, as this thought is sent out with spiritually energy. _

"_...because YOU are my father!" _

_Feeling a surge of Spirital power from the young dragon, the Dark Master yanks his head up, and wraps his talons around Sparx' throat._

"_Spyro is dead by your own actions..." Dark Sparx hollers into the mud-covered face of his twin, trying to keep him thinking negatively. _

"_How do you expect him to..."_

"HEY!"

_The voice is familiar to both spirits, and The Dark Master turns his head to the image he and Sparx can see._

"_How the hell is that possible!" The evil master remarks with surprise, seeing Spyro standing on his hind legs, showing no ill effects of his attack, and ready to fight. _

"_Because he's my Father!"_

"If you think you're just gonna waltz out of here with my son, then you are dumber then I thought!" The purple dragon remarks with complete defiance.

Spyro's scales turn Jet Black, and his eyes glow white hot with rage. The angry father gestures his paw for the Dark Master to charge, and with arrogance in his voice he taunts.

"You will have to go through me first!"

_The Dark Master smiles in the face of the young dragon he is holding above the surface of this spiritual bog of despair._

"_Your father is not that smart!" He remarks, and Sparx begins to laugh._

"_Neither are you!" He says, and the Dark Master can feel a jolt of power come from Sparx' soul, as he hears the truth slip from angered lips. _

"_So, Spyro IS my Father!" He laughs._

_"I won't fall for your lies anymoooo..."_

_The Dark Master forces Sparx' muzzle into the mud, then stands upon the bridge of his nose, holding him under._

"_I am smart enough to take you down..." The Dark Master remarks, then sets his sights on Spyro._

"...and your worthless stand will make no difference!" His voice shouts in the real world.

Spyro watches as his son squares off to face him, lowering down on four paws, readying to pounce

"The death of the dragon race will come swiftly, and start with you!"

"_Are you ready Diamond!" _Spyro remarks with only a thought, and a response from the camouflaged albino dragon comes immediately.

"_I've been ready for two thousand years!"_

Malefor staggers to his feet, and turns his head to look in horror, as Sparx leaps at his father with his talons extended and teeth bared. However, the young dragon comes to a dead stop only an inch from Spyro's throat, and the large purple dragon balks with shock, as his old friend reveals himself.

"Diamond!" Malefor whisper under his breath, however, he quickly turns his attention to Monsoon, as the large dragon gasps for oxygen.

"Easy big fella..." The former Dark Master remarks, placing his paws on the three slash marks across his throat. "...I will take care of you...Friend."

Monsoon, accustom to speaking without words, blinks his eyes with compassion, and Malefor nods his head. However, his focus returns towards the center of the Main Square, staring at the young dragon held in suspension by an old white paw.

"This Spirit does not belong to you!" Diamond remarks, staring dead into the narrow pupils of Dark Sparx.

"You are too late old dragon..." The angry whelpling replies, his voice distorted with evil. "...I am already in control."

Diamond begins laughing, and turns his attention to Spyro.

"He is so smug, and has no clue that he has sealed his own fate." Diamond remarks, then turns his eyes to the Dark Master, burning a glare deep into his soul.

"I will show you this dragon's Spirit is impossible to control!"

With a bright flash of power, that leaves everyone blinded for a second, Diamond enters into the Spirit of a tormented soul. Both dragons collapse to the ground, but Diamond keeps his paw secured around Sparx' throat.

"SPARX!" Malefor barks, making sure Monsoon is out of danger before leaving him alone. The large dragon limps quickly towards the two downed dragons, staring at the one he still considers his son.

"Please, NO!" The large dragon cries out, startling the smaller purple hero

"MALEFOR, DON'T!" Spyro barks, as he reaches his paw to Sparx' forehead.

The former Dark Master realizes his mistake, but only after making contact with the small unconscious dragon. He is forcefully thrown back into the wall behind him, and slides down next to the wounded Water Master.

"You should never touch a dragon while they meditate!" Monsoon remarks, and Malefor turns to see the dragon he has healed is feeling better. He shows a smile to the large purple dragon, and a genuine look of thanks fill his eyes.

"I never learned that lesson well either!" Monsoon continues, and Malefor quickly recalls the image of the Water dragon being cast away from him, in Cynder's kitchen.

"You mean..." Malefor begins to say, then his eyes open wide, realizing that Diamond is inside.

"Help him my old friend..." Malefor remarks, slowly smiling, and wagging his tail with excitement. "...allow him to utilize the power he is holding back!"

Monsoon's brow raises with puzzlement, and he taps Malefor with a talon from his right paw.

Just looking into the Water dragon's eyes, Malefor can see the confusion.

"He has only used that power once, and if I was not immortal, and miles away..." Malefor pauses, suddenly feeling the emotion of that one moment, and the reason for Sparx' guilt.

"...then I too would have been killed...along with Snow."

"Snow?"

Malefor balks, checking his emotions, then turning his attention to Monsoon, and showing his tears.

"My wife..." Malefor pauses again, wiping the moisture from his face. "...and his foster mother."

He then looks at the painful grimace on Sparx' unconscious face, and it reminds him of the moment even more.

Malefor saw this face after awaking from the powerful explosion, and finding the young whelpling at the epicenter of the blast. The look, however, is when they both discovered Snow was too close and did not wake up.

"Even as an immortal herself, Snow was killed by vast release of his energy... energy that even the Destroyer could not match!"

Monsoon's eyes open wide, hearing of such power, then his eyes focus on the two dragons.

"If he releases that energy here..." The Water dragon pauses himself, taking a painful swallow of his saliva. "...then we will all die!"

Malefor grins, then places his paw on Monsoon's neck, finishing what he stared.

"I am no longer worried about our fate, my friend!" Malefor remarks, turning his full attention to his work. "That young dragon is stronger then me, and has a bigger heart then his...Father."

Malefor glances back, watching Spyro help Cynder back up to her feet, and give what little energy he has to heal her. A deep feeling of love fills his heart, and with it the memories of a child that he raised. All of his thoughts fill the large dragon with the Spirit of a whelpling that never lost his faith.

"I was hoping to be that young dragon's father, forever..." Malefor returns his tear-filled eyes back to Monsoon's neck, and gives a heavy sigh. "...but I can see now...I never really was his father."

"No, you're not!"

The Water dragon remarks bluntly, using the voice he was given by this compassionate dragon.

Malefor sighs again, hearing the immediate reply that crushes his Spirit, however, Monsoon places his paw upon the old dragon's neck, turning his eyes to his, and using this voice to show Malefor his compassion.

"But you are as important to that boy as anyone is."

Monsoon, turns his head to see the young dragon with Spyro and Cynder by his side, and a smile fills his face.

"No Malefor...you are not his Father..." Monsoon returns his eyes to the former Dark Master, and shows his new friend the smile he has etched on his face.

"...you are his Guardian, and I know that a Guardian...is for LIFE!"

_With his nose buried in mud, and a dragon his exact size and strength, holding him under, young Sparx comes to a terrible conclusion_

"_I lost Dad." He whimpers to himself, and can hear the Dark Master's laughter with his concession._

"_You never had a chance." He continues, then turns towards Spyro, as he can feel more control over his puppet. _

"_Now, to use this power I've been waiting for!" _

_As he leaps with his talons exposed, and teeth bared, a single thought crosses his mind._

"_I have won!"_

_Suddenly, the Dark Master can feel a tense grip upon his throat, and the distortion of moving Light-camouflage to his left. _

"_NO!" _

_The Dark Master's eyes open wide, seeing the Spirit dragon he first set out to abduct before Malefor. _

"_This Spirit does not belong to you!" Diamond's voice can be heard by the young dragon under the mud, and he tries again to pull himself up, but the Dark Master, forces his foot down harder, keeping Sparx' from reaching the surface. _

"_You are too late old dragon..." The Dark Master barks, taking the stings of his puppet as Sparx loses more energy._

"_...I am already in control."_

_Diamond begins laughing, and turns his attention to Spyro. He mumbles a few words that the Dark Master cannot hear, then returns a fierce glare. _

_A binding force of invisible energy suddenly holds him tightly, and the evil master can sense a build up of power that he cannot understand. _

"_I will show you this dragon's Spirit is impossible to control."_

"_What the hell is going on!" The Dark Master bellows, then shuts his eyes shut tight from a blinding light._

_Suddenly, Dark Sparx is struck from behind, and his body is flung across the muddy bog, where he is holding his puppet's soul under foot._

"_I said this dragon does not belong to you!" _

_The Dark Master takes his feet, and stares in astonishment as the albino dragon, he sought long ago, appears before his eyes._

"_You cannot control the Spirit World you fool..." Diamond remarks, placing his paw into the mud, and grasping Spyro's son. With little effort, the forty-three hundred year old dragon lifts Sparx from the thick quicksand, and holds his weight with only one paw._

"_...this is my domain, and the powers I posses here are unfathomable to someone like you." _

_The Dark Master's eyes open wide as, with just a swipe of his white paw, Diamond changes the entire scenery. Now, standing in the Valley of Avalar, the evil master is confronted with his own nightmare...__A complete feeling of helplessness. _

_Sparx begins to choke out the remnants of mud forced into his mouth and nose, however, with change of scenery, the young dragon is also changed. He is young again, and not a speck of mud covers his scales._

"_You think you could control this dragon with just an assault on his emotions." The Great Elder remarks, landing on the now solid ground beside a younger Sparx, and staring confidently into the Dark Master's eyes. _

_Diamond lowers his paw upon the youngster's head, and scratches the area behind his horns. _

"_I am Spiritually weak compared to him, and it was only a matter of time before you found that out the hard way..." Diamond looks down, smiles at Sparx seeing his confusion, then returns his eyes to the Dark Master. "...he would have killed you in a matter of days, but I didn't want you to wreck everything before he realized what must be done."_

_The large energy creature balks, as if Diamond was trying to save him from making a huge mistake._

"_What are you squawking about old dragon..." The evil creature replies, returning to his powerful swirling form of Dark energy. "...I had that whelpling in my grasp, and as soon as I send you to an overdue grave...I will take him again!"_

_Sparx cowers from the thought, and Diamond shows a slight concern. He felt the Spiritual energy flow through the young dragon, but it was quickly snuffed with the thoughts of fear and guilt. _

"_Do not fear that power Sparx..." He says, holding his paw steady upon the back of his neck, and enhancing it with more Spiritual energy._

_The Dark Master leaps at Diamond, but the old dragon easily brushes off his attack with one paw, swatting the charging energy creature to the side. _

_Sparx is stunned at the Great Elder's power, knowing how weak he is in the physical world. However, the Dark Master seems to have no control over the old dragon whatsoever. _

"_...you must show him these powers you posses, or he will hold your soul forever!"_

_The young dragon lowers his head, and begins to weep, feeling the same Spiritual Energy that causes him pain everyday._

"_I can't..." Sparx sheepishly replies. "...I'll never use that power again!"_

_Diamond closes his eyes, and using his abilities as a Master of his craft, he cuts through the defenses in the little dragon's mind, and comes across the memory that has hurt him for too long. A tear rolls from his white muzzle, as his heart quickly breaks._

"_Oh Sparx...you did not mean to kill her..." Diamond remarks, and his words chill the young dragon to the bone. "...and she understands that as well!"_

_Sparx eyes open wide, and he turns his head to Diamond._

"_But she told me, herself!"_

_Suddenly Diamond's lifts his tail, and swats the Dark Master as he tried to sneak attack the two conversing dragon. Sparx eyes lock on the energy creature with shock as he is thrown to the ground, again with ease._

"_That was not you mother." Diamond replies calmly, showing no hesitation after stopping the blind attack. He strides over to the Dark Master, getting angrier with every step, and viciously plants a paw down into his back._

"_IT WAS HIM!" He barks over the Dark Master's yelps of pain. _

_Diamond removes his paw, and strolls back to the young son of Spyro. His eyes lock upon the little dragon, and Sparx watches with astonishment as the old dragon changes before him._

"_I would never blame you...my little whelpling!" _

_The words from the shape shifting dragon, sends the youngster's emotions high, as he recognizes the voice immediately. The albino dragon's scales turn to a coat of silk-like fur, and Diamond's light purple eyes darken to the sapphire-colored ones he woke up to every morning in hell._

"_MOM!" _

_With a simple nod, the pure white German Shepard strides up to her son, and gently walks under his neck, tickling his throat with her soft tail. Tears fall from Sparx' eyes as the Spirit of his foster mother displays the same affectionate greeting she always gave, when he rose from his bed. However, before she can finish her greeting, the young dragon grasps her tightly in his arms._

"_How is this possible!"_

"_I don't know..." Snow replies, and places her head against Sparx' neck. "...and I don't care!"_

_The two hold each other for what seems like hours, but even in the Spirit World, it is not long enough for the young dragon._

"_I'm so sorry, Mom!" The young dragon cries, saying what he has always wanted, but never knew he would have the chance to. _

"_I didn't mean..."_

"_NO!" Snow barks, pulling back from her embrace, and grasping her young son's muzzle._

"_I'm sorry, Sparx!"_

_The young dragon opens his eyes, but Snow will not release his mouth to object._

"_It was my fault...I got too close, even after you told me to stay away..." The white Shepard remarks, lowering her head with depression. "...and that is the only reason why I'm here in spirit."_

_Snow looks up at Sparx, and her tears begin to fall like rain_

"_I'm sorry..." She says with such pain, struggling with every word. _

"_...I left you with a memory...that will haunt you forever!"_

_Sparx holds his breath, then lowers his head down to Snow's ear._

"_I have a new memory now, Mom!" He replies softly, staring into his foster mother's eyes. "And this will be what I remember, as our last moment together."_

_Snow balks for a moment, then her eyes look up at Sparx, and change color once more._

"_Why should this be the last time?" Diamond's voice calls to the young dragon, and he places the white paw of the Spirit he is controlling on Sparx' chest. _

"_You can call upon her anytime, young dragon, because the same Spiritual energy that flows through me, flows through your mother, and now...is part of you..."_

_Diamond turns his eyes to the Dark Master._

"_...and he is all that stands in the way of that!"_

_Sparx eyes lock on the tall creature of pure energy, as he stands back upright, and becomes enraged._

"_I'M DONE PLAYING GAMES!" The Dark Master barks, building up his powers to their highest level. His body begins to spark with surges of pure energy, sending flashes of lightning in all directions._

"_IF I CAN'T CONTROL HIM, THEN NO ONE WILL!"_

_Sparx looks down at Diamond, now back to his dragon self. _

"_What can I do?" The young whelpling asks with depression, already lowering his head in defeat. "I can't use that power now...I don't want to kill the rest of my family!" _

_The albino dragon smiles as Sparx begins to show a release of his guilt, thinking about tapping this power he has suppressed for two years._

"_Just release your all of your anger, and you will be able to control it..." The Great Elder replies, reading his memories, and seeing the way Sparx used this special energy the purposely for the first time. __His use of an elemental power, he had no knowledge of, is what killed his foster mother, as he sent out a Spirit Bomb laced with hatred and rage._

"_...you were never instructed like myself, and the power overwhelmed you."_

_Sparx nods his head, reliving the moment he killed everything within a thousand-mile range, including Snow. An emotional blast of power, that he couldn't stop when it started. _

He was standing in his home, on the five year anniversary of Cynder's disappearance, experiencing the emotions of telling his lost mother, how he found a new matriarch. The young dragon, compelled to visit the spot where he last saw his biological mother, never said a word in this cave, as he held it in his heart as sacred ground.

However, after five years, Sparx had finally given up hope of going home, and was confessing his love for another. The young dragon broke down in tears, and yelped with pain in his heart as he told Cynder about his feeling for Snow.

Sparx was then suddenly attacked by a group of demons that heard his cries, and the young dragon snapped.

Reliving the exact moment when Cynder was taken, Sparx recalls the attack in his home, and called upon a power he had felt only once, but didn't understand. As a one year old whelpling, he easily killed everything in this cave with a blast of primal power.

However, at six, the young dragon had seen years of battle, and used this power with the anger and hatred, feeling the loss of his mother once more.

The explosion vaporized the mountain, and everything around him, including the one that he was ready to call his mother, forever.

"_Do not use that anger to fight, young dragon!" Diamond's voice echoes softly, and a huge amount of Spiritual energy is transferred into Spyro's son._

_The purple scales down his back begin to pulse with energy, then sudden change white. The dark scales of his body begin to show highlights of his father's purple, blending with his mother's color. _

_In the few seconds it takes for Sparx to change his attitude, the Dark Master quickly loses his confidence, seeing the same Spiritual power coming from his puppet. He trembles with fear, as Sparx eyes stare directly at him, then suddenly begin to change. _

_Not unlike Spyro or Malefor, his pupils disappear showing only the whites of his eyes, however, they soon begin to darken, turning a bright shade of purple, and showing the heritage of this powerful dragon._

"_Use the love you feel in your heart for your parents..." The old dragon remarks, slowly backing away from a charged-up Sparx, and smiling as he continues to pump him up. _

"_...with all FOUR of their Spirits to guide you... you cannot lose!"_

"_Yes Master Diamond..." The young dragon replies, almost in a drunk trance from the power he is channeling now. "...I understand!"_

_Sparx takes a slow step towards the Dark Master, and the evil creature begins to tense up. He can see the pure resolve in Sparx' eyes, however it is the sudden sight of other spirits around him, that truly terrifies him._

_As Sparx takes his first step, Snow and Malefor appear to his right and left, their eyes locked firmly upon the Dark Master. _

_His next step is then guided by Cynder, striding before her son with her wings out, ready to block any attack launched. _

_The four dragons stroll up to the frozen Dark Master, holding his position in stunned fear. _

_Sparx stops directly in front of the much taller energy giant, and stands up on his hind leg. As he does, Spyro appears behind the young dragon, showing the same stare of defiance as his son. _

_Ten eyes peer into the Dark Master's soul, and all of them show confidence, as the Dark Master shows true fear._

**"**_**We are done playing games!"** All five voices bark in unison, and the Dark Master holds his ears as their voices echo loudly throughout his soul. _

_The Spirit of Cynder, fires the poison she was given by the Dark Master, coating the evil creature in his own toxic pestilence. Snow and Malefor unleash millions of years of built up rage, into a blast of energy that stings the Dark Master to his core. And Spyro unleashes all of his Fury, displaying a power that only Cynder has been a witness to, as Avalar was breaking apart. _

_Sparx, however, never moves a paw, and continues to stare into the pain-filled eyes of the Dark Master._

"_Now...I don't need to fight!" The young dragon remarks coldly, sitting back on his hind quarters, and resting his weight upon his tail._

_The Dark Master becomes enraged, however, with this constant assault, there is nothing he can do. His eyes begin to show the relentless beating is taking it's toll, and Sparx smiles, enraging him further._

"_ENOUGH!" The Dark Master barks, and suddenly all four spirits of Sparx' parents disappear._

_The evil master is startled for a moment, as the assault on his soul comes to an abrupt end, and his eyes focus upon the little dragon still showing an arrogant grin._

"_I agree!" Sparx replies, then leaps up and slams his right front paw into the Dark Master's chest. _

_The evil creature is propelled backward with great force, coming to a dead stop against a solid stone wall that just sprung up from the ground. _

_The Dark Master's eyes open wide with shock as his body slams into the rock barrier, and more so as Sparx gestures his paw down, sending the rock wall back into the ground. _

"_I have had enough, and I want you out of my head!" _

"_NEVER!" The Dark Master remarks, retaking his feet, and pumping himself with rage and anger._

"_YOU BELONG TO ME!"_

_The large creature leaps at Sparx, but again the young dragon disappears._

"_The only ones I belong to are my parents Spyro, Cynder, Malefor, and..." Sparx voice calls out, then reappears behind the Dark Master. _

"_...SNOW!" _

_With the loud shout of his foster mother's name, Sparx takes all of his hate and anger, and readies to strike. However, the young dragon stops himself, and thinks of the life lessons he learned from Snow, and the warning from Diamond a moment ago._

_The Dark Master becomes confused at Sparx' sudden pause in attack, but only for a second. He quickly turns around and tries to take advantage of the situation, thrusting a solid fist towards the undecided youngster's face._

"_STOP!"_

_In his mind, Time freezes cold, and Sparx ponders what he is doing. _

_He can see the Dark Master turning to throw a punch, and suddenly realizes what he tried to do. _

"_I can't fight like him!" He says to himself. "I don't strike anyone from behind!"_

"_That's right!" Snow's voice barks with anger. _

"_I didn't raise you to do such things!"_

"_Mom..." The young dragon remarks, seeing her silhouette striding towards him, however his voice becomes a bit somber as he continues, realizing it is just the Great Elder in disguise. _

_"...oh...I mean, Diamond!"_

_The white Shepard frowns, then rubs herself under Sparx's neck, and pulls his head to the side with her tail._

"_Isn't that Diamond, over there?" She says as his eyes focus on the white dragon, also frozen in time._

"_By the Ancestors!" Sparx remarks, then looks at his mother with a whole new set of eyes, ones that cannot believe what they are seeing._

"_Is it really you?" He asks, still unsure of the vision before him._

"_Yes, my little whelpling..." Snow replies to her foster son, and turns her sapphire blue eyes to the young dragon._

"_I'm so proud of the dragon you have become!" She says returning under his chest, and rubbing her fur against his scales. "I've been watching you, baby, and a mother could not be happier."_

_Sparx closes his paw against her, however she suddenly disappears, and his right palm is left across his heart. He begins to cry as he never gets a chance to hold his mom, but the sound of her voice resonates throughout his soul _

"_I'll always be watching you, and helping you to decide what's right..." _

_Snow's voices begins to fade, and Sparx can feel his paw uncontrollably pat his gold chest._

"_...and if you ever need me again, remember...I'll will always be here." _

_In a single moment frozen in his spirit, Sparx is comforted by the pounding of his own heart. He quickly casts his anger aside, allowing only the best memories of his mother to surface._

_Sparx restarts time in his head, and places his paw before the Dark Master's punch._

"_I don't want to fight with you any longer..." He remarks, holding the Dark Master's fist with no struggle. _

"_...I just want to live MY life in peace!" _

_Sparx looks back at Diamond, and the albino dragon is smiling wide. He can see the aura of Spyro's son is clearer than he has seen before, and the Great Elder just bows his head._

_Sparx smiles himself, seeing the old dragon nod, as if he has succeeded, and deep down, he knows he has._

"_Please...leave now!" The young dragon remarks, staring sharply into his opponent's eyes. "I don't want to use these powers, but I will...if you force me to!"_

_The Dark Master says nothing, shocked at the young dragon's audacity._

"_I will go when I choose to, and nothing you, that albino, or that MUTT of a dog you hold close to your heart, will make a difference." _

_Sparx channels the love and admiration for that small mutt, whom showed a heart the size of a dragon's, and drives his paw directly into the Dark Master's face._

_The impact is more fierce the even Sparx was expecting, and the evil creature is driven to the ground hard._

"_You were saying!" The sarcastic elder dragon remarks from the background, but the Dark Master has no response to the insult, or to this attack._

"_That power..." The evil creature remarks somberly, getting just a taste of the energy that Sparx is using, and knowing there is nothing he can do to attain it now. The Dark Master suddenly snaps._

"_...I WANT THAT POWER!"_

In the city, Spyro and Cynder hold each others paw as their son jostles within the nightmare of a dream, however, with a sudden smile across his face, the young dragon stops flailing.

"By the Ancestors" Spyro remarks, as a glow of white light begins to surround his son and Diamond.

Both dragons begin to levitate, and Malefor, lying by Monsoon in the background, can sense the power he felt two years ago, when Sparx leveled everything in hell.

Suddenly, the young dragon's mouth opens wide, and a glow of dark energy begins to develop.

"Oh no!" Malefor remarks, standing upon his feet quickly. "Not here...not now!"

"SPYRO...CYNDER, RUN !"

The purple dragon, also noticing his son's buildup of power, heeds Malefor's words. He grasps, Cynder in his arms, and takes off straight up. Malefor helps Monsoon to his feet, and both larger dragons begin their ascent as well.

"What about everyone else?" Monsoon asks with concern, knowing there are children in the tower, and Sonic the Hedgehog is still somewhere in the city.

"We're not going to survive either, my friend..." Malefor remarks, looking down at his former son, and hoping he doesn't repeat the same mistake as last time.

"...no one will survive if he loses control!"

However, Sparx does not lose control, and all four are startled as the young dragon just fires a ball of energy from his mouth, then both he and Diamond collapse to the ground again.

"Great Ancestors...NO!" Spyro barks, zipping straight down to his son's side, still holding his wife in tow. The purple dragon places Cynder down gently, and both kneel closer to their son.

"Sparx!" Spyro yelps, then reaches his paw to touch his boy's face.

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU!" Diamond's voice barks, and Spyro jumps back, startled as the old dragon returns to the real world.

"You said don't touch him!" Spyro replies with tears flowing from his eyes, seeing his son lying unconscious, and just wanting to hold him. However, the Great Elder begins to laugh, and places his paw upon the young dragon laying by his side.

"NOOO!" He remarks with sarcasm, then looks at his good friend. "I said...stop asking the Ancestors for everything!"

Spyro can see the genuine smile on the Great Elder's face, and the old albino gestures his head down. The purple dragon glances at his son, and his heart begins to pound with excitement, as Sparx' eyes slowly open.

The look of disorientation last only a moment, and then he sees his father.

"Dad...I did it!" He says faintly, but proudly. The completely drained dragon tries to stand, but Diamond holds him down to the ground.

"Not yet young one..." The Elder remarks, holding the weakened child with little struggle. "...your fathers still have work to do!"

Spyro shows confusion, as Diamond returns his attention to him.

"You two should have no trouble with what your son left of him!"

"What?" The purple dragon asks, now totally puzzled, until...

"YOU LITTLE BASTARD!"

The voice sends a chill down Spyro's back, and he quickly turns in the direction his son fired the ball of energy.

"I am not one to be easily defeated boy!" The Dark Master remarks, returning to this feet, and looking back at the group of dragons now huddled around Sparx and Diamond, however things appear a bit different in his eyes.

Malefor and Spyro stare at the Dark Master for a second with complete disbelief, then begin laughing hysterically.

The Dark Master becomes enraged, and his power-filled body begins sending out pulses of black lightning.

"You dare to laugh at me!" He bellows with anger, taking a stride towards the group, and again noticing a very odd feeling...everything seams bigger.

The Dark Master looks down at himself, and then up at Spyro and Malefor as they begin to walk towards him.

"What the hell?" He asks a loud, noticing that the two purple dragons are much larger than they were a minute a go.

Spyro is a head taller on all fours, and Malefor...he now dwarfs the small Dark Master.

"Well Spyro...you are in command." Malefor remarks, showing a deep anger on his face. "Do you think this tiny little helpless thing here, should have a second chance."

Spyro stops for a second, and looks back at Cynder. A deep feeling of compassion sweeps over the young hero, with the thought of how he and his wife are actually together. The purple dragon then returns his attention to the Dark Master, and his pupils disappear.

"OH...HELL NO!"

Spyro turns jet black, and Malefor follows suit. Both enraged dragons leap towards the smaller Dark Master, looking to end his life with extreme prejudice.

Suddenly a portal opens behind the evil creature, and he steps through.

"NO!" Spyro barks, seeing the same way the coward has escaped in the past.

Both dragons become concerned, as the Dark Master completely disappears from sight. However, A familiar voice barks from the west, and the two black dragons turn their attention to a small blue hedgehog waving his arm frantically.

"OVER HERE!"

Spyro, hearing his General's voice filled with anxiety, grasps Malefor's arm, and yells.

"STOP".

He can tell Sonic has spotted the Dark Master, and is not allowing him the Time to escape.

Pulled into his fast-paced world, Malefor follows Spyro to the Western side of the city, and both come to an abrupt stop upon entering that section's main square. The powerful barrier of energy is cutting through the center of the West Square.

"NO!" Spyro yells, noticing the portal just on the other side of the force-field, and the Dark Master emerging from it.

Extremely weakened, the Dark Master had just enough energy to get him out of the barrier, and now taunts the dragons that cannot reach him.

"You have only delayed the inevitable..." The Dark Master barks, as Spyro, Malefor, and Sonic charge up to the force-field, holding them only a few feet from the one they wish to kill.

"...I will be back, stronger than ever, and this time I will just destroy this worthless planet!"

Spyro and Malefor become enraged, knowing that threat could be carried out with little warning to defend, and their home would be destroyed before anyone even knew what happened. Both dragons begin to feel that helpless feeling again, as The Dark Master simply starts walking away.

"NO" Spyro barks, feeling no magic in his body to use the Shadow power he has, and realizing there is no quick way through the barrier.

"He just can't get away again, not after what he's done to my family!"

Malefor lowers his head, hearing the pain in Spyro's voice, as the Dark Master walks away laughing.

Suddenly, a faint scream of anger, fills the air, and all four look up to the sky. It is hard to focus on what is making the noise from so high up, until a small explosion is seen atop the Dragon's Palace.

"Some crazy little blue whelpling just smashed himself into that ball of energy up there!" Sonic remarks, using his superior sight to describe what just happened.

"BALL OF ENERGY!" Both dragons remarks, and their eyes are quickly drawn to the force-field as it fades away to nothing.

"OH SHIT!" The Dark Master quips, as he watches the shield, keeping Malefor and Spyro back, disappear with a fluttering of energy.

Spyro and Malefor start to laugh with a nasty grow in their voices, as they see the Dark Master before them, and completely unobstructed.

"Do you remember how you and Cynder defeated me Spyro!" Malefor remarks, watching the Dark Master panic at the sight of both black and gold dragons stepping closer.

"What...combine our power?" The smaller dragon inquires, and a simple nod is returned from the former Dark Master.

"Sure..." Spyro replies, now using his rage to build up a powerful Fury blast in his throat. "...I'd love to see the power we can generate together."

The glow from Spyro's mouth scares the Dark Master, and more so as Malefor's jaw glows as well.

"Although...if you think about it..." Spyro blurts, giving the Dark Master another second to suffer in agonizing fear, and using his charm to boost the heart of a dragon he has come to respect and love as a friend.

"...Sparx...is already a pretty good example of our powers combined."

Malefor genuflects to HIS hero, then both dragons turn their attention to the weakened Master of Evil.

With two massive blasts of Fury, intersecting inches before his chest, the tiny Dark Master is quickly incinerated by a collision of Convexity.

However, as the largest threat to Avalar is put down, a small part of the victory drops from the sky.

"NICHOLAS!" Catarina barks, as her eyes open wide, watching him free-fall from the top of the palace.

As the force-field drops, so too does the grip on her body. She can barely feel her muscles begin working, but still gathers the strength to leap off the balcony. The young dragoness pulls her wings in, hoists up her arms and legs, and pin drops as fast as she can. However, Catarina begins panicking, as she realizes she will not reach him in time.

"NOOOO!" She cries, watching helplessly again, as gravity now takes her brother further from her grasp.

The young whelpling suddenly wakes, hearing his sister's voice, but Nicholas is so disoriented that he has no understanding of where he is, and that he is falling to his death. His only reaction is to cry with the fear of an unknown pain.

"PLEASE...HELP!" Catarina screams, like she did last year, watching Nicholas being pulled down the street towards a storm drain. Her heart aching with the thought of failing once more. However, within a second of her request, the young dragoness' wish is granted.

"I got you!" A voice calls out, and Catarina can feel the familiar grasp of her father's arms.

"DADDY!" She cries with overwhelming emotion as Nick quickly overtakes his son, grabbing him as well, and pulling her terrified brother beside her.

The young father opens his damaged wings to slow down their descent, feeling none of the pain of his injury, as the high of seeing his daughter's joy, heals all wounds.

"I love you, Catarina..." He whispers in her ear, circling above the North Square, slowing lowering down to the ground. "...and a father has never been more proud of his children...then I am right now!"

As the dust settles, and the world of Avalar quiets down, the only sounds heard in the Main Square, are the cheers for Spyro and his friends.

The two purple dragons return to their son, and are filled with the excitement of seeing him completely at ease, and with an incredible smile on his face.

"Thank You Malefor..." Spyro remarks, grasping the older dragon, and turning him around to look him in the eyes. "...this victory is ours...all because of you!"

"NO!" The large dragon replies, however, Spyro quickly places his paw over the larger dragon muzzle, not allowing him to be humble.

"Don't tell me NO!" Spyro remarks, showing the tears of a grateful father.

"You are the reason we are still here..." The purple dragon continues, reaching up and embracing his one time worst enemy.

"...you fought to protect my wife and son...then you fought to protect the ones that hated you..."

Spyro releases his embrace, and both purple dragons stare at Cynder, as she lofts Sparx up into her arms.

"...You brought peace to this planet, and to my family...and for that, I am forever in your debt."

Malefor places his left paw around Spyro's flank and pulls him side by side, returning a very courteous embrace.

"Lets just call it even, Spyro!" The large dragon remarks with a bit of caution, and turns his attention the purple dragon, whom is now showing a bit of confusion.

"EVEN?!"

"Yeah..." Malefor remarks, slowly looking towards the South, and the Valley of Avalar.

"...you still haven't seen what I did to your home!"

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed this segment...because I found it quite difficult to write, and keep a dry eye.<strong>

**Now, I know there are still some unanswered question, and they will come. I have one more chapter, and that should fill in a lot of the smaller details, so please...stay tuned for the finale...Coronations.**


	49. Coronations

**Well here it is...I know it took longer then normal, but this is without a doubt the longest chapter in the story. A one shot in it's own right, this last part hopefully fulfills your thirst for Sparx the dragon, at least until I start working on the next story's rewrite.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 49 Coronations<p>

It's been eighteen months since the Dark Master was put down, and life around the Dragon Realms has returned to normal. New Warfang is bustling with the activity and commerce that accompanies a city of its size, no longer showing the ill effects from a battle that took place in the Main square.

However, at the East Gate, the final touches of repairs are being placed by the Skylander's engineering crew, after Hot Head destroyed the entire wall. The volcanic creature took a mighty over head swing at the force-field with both arms, just as little Nicholas slammed his horns into the orb feeding its energy. It disappeared, and the East Gate went with it, as Hot Head couldn't stop his sledge-hammer attack

"That's the last brick, Cyril..." Jasper, head engineer of the Skylanders, remarks. The tall human-like man wipes his brow in the heat of two suns. "...and again, Gaven wishes to apologize for any inconvenience to the citizens of New Warfang!"

"Well I'm not going to argue with the quality, Master Engineer, in fact Mason could get a few pointers from you and your crew..." The Ice Dragon remarks with a smile and an assuring tone, then suddenly he pulls a clip board from his satchel, and a snide grin comes over his face.

"...However, it is nine months overdue, and you will have to pay fines for late construction!"

Jasper stares at the blue Guardian for a second, then chuckles as if he is joking, but when the Ice dragon begins citing violations, the head Engineer just about blows his top.

"CYRIL!" A voice bellows from above, taking both of their attention.

"We are not charging the Skylanders for anything..." Malefor remarks, landing next to the group of angered workers, readying to toss Cyril from the wall. "...these men deserve a bountiful reward, and few days off."

Cyril balks at the idea of paying them, but lowers his head in concession.

"If you think that is what we should do...your Majesty!"

Malefor's eyes quickly open wide, and he turns his attention to the Ice Guardian.

"Please, Master Cyril...do not call me that!"

The blue Guardian lifts his head, and shows a bit of anger in his eyes, but only for a second.

"I know it's not official yet, Malefor..." the Ice Master remarks, trying not to sound his normal bitter or snobbish self, hoping to assure the purple dragon that he believes in the choice of Avalar's New Leader.

"...but, that is who you will be by the time the suns set, and I'm am just trying to get used to it!"

"Well Don't!" Malefor remarks harshly, then turns his attention to Jasper and his engineers.

A few words are exchanged, and the large dragon hands over a small pouch of gems and gold for the party to spend in the city.

"I will tell Gaven you are still needed for another week, so enjoy yourselves!" Malefor remarks, as the group leaves with an abundant amount of excitement in their voices and cash in their pockets. The large dragon then returns his attention to the now angered Ice Guardian, and Cyril strides up to the former Dark Master.

"Why should I not get used to calling the King...your Majesty!" He asks with a great deal of agitation in his voice.

"If you plan on turning down the crown, I will beat you senseless myself!" The Ice dragon remarks, rising up on his hind legs, placing a very strong paw on Malefor's shoulder, then leaning into his face.

"We all stood in front of the Counsel of Elders, and voiced our opinions of an honorable dragon, so don't you even think..."

"I'm not gonna turn down this honor..." Malefor barks, stopping Cyril mid rant. He looks down at the ground and a slight smile fills his face.

"...I just don't want you to get used to something illegal."

Cyril becomes puzzled, and Malefor shows him this wide grin.

"It was the only law I ever made when I was King..." The large dragon looks up, recalling the greatest memories in his head, buried under millions of years of life in hell.

"...No one would be allowed to call the King...Your Majesty, or any other name that placed him above a citizen!" Malefor continues, returning his eyes to Cyril, and showing the guardian they were right to fight for this dragon.

"I wanted everyone on Avalar to believe I was...as they are...equal in every way."

Cyril backs off his aggressive stance, and becomes slightly embarrassed at his angry outburst.

"I'm sorry Malefor...I didn't..."

The long pause in Cyril's apology, forces Malefor to speak.

"Don't be, my friend..." He remarks, placing his paw softly on the blue dragon's shoulder.

"...and thank you for showing me the passion you have for your choice. I truly believe now, that...EVERYONE...is on my side!"

Cyril again shows some embarrassment, as he has been very standoffish to the purple dragon, but never had a doubt in his loyalties.

"I guess that I have been a bit snobby to you..." Cyril lowers his head, not wanting to look into the eyes of a dragon that has truly done nothing wrong, but lose a fight to a superior being. However, the Ice Guardian raises his head, and shows a weak smile of his own.

"...please understand...my friend...I am snobby to everyone!"

Malefor begins laughing, and pulls the Ice Guardian close to his chest in a very sturdy embrace.

"You remind me of my old friend Glazier..." the purple dragon says, and Cyril's eyes open, hearing of a former Master of his element.

"...He was as annoying as they came..." He bluntly remarks, and Cyril pulls back to give him a look of defiance. Malefor smiles seeing the same reaction he would get from the old Ice Guardian of his time.

"...but his loyalty, above all, was his greatest quality!"

Cyril pauses for a moment, letting this comment sink in, and realizing that it describes him to a T.

"I only hope to prove as worthy as my great Ancestor..." Cyril replies with a slight bow of his head, then looks up at Malefor with a arrogant smile.

"...Your Majesty!"

The purple dragon balks, and shows a tiny bit of anger, but Cyril points his paw at the smallest sun in Avalar's sky.

"It's not illegal yet, your Royalness..." Cyril continues, showing the arrogance that made Glazier one of his best friends. Malefor smiles as the Ice Guardian tries, like Volteer, to find different ways to call a King...the King.

"...and since you are not the Sovereign yet...I can say what ever I wish...O' Great One!"

Malefor places his paw upon his muzzle, trying to cover the emotion on his face, but it is impossible, as the feelings he has inside becomes overwhelming.

"_Aerial...Snow...I have returned full circle!"_ Malefor remarks to himself, feeling the world around him as it once was, and now unable to contain his joy-filled sadness.

"You are the only two things missing now!"

"What was that, Your Highness?" Cyril asks, not hearing the mumbled words from the purple dragon, but continuing with the barrage of titles.

"Nothing...Master Snowflake!" Malefor replies, trying to change his attitude with humor, and using a name his old friend hated to be called. It works perfectly for a distraction to his emotions, as Cyril becomes annoyed with this title in a heartbeat.

The two dragons begin to bicker back and forth with playful banter, both trying to top insults, and Malefor suddenly smiles inside with the thought of his wives looking down, seeing that he has taken back his life.

However, from the East Square, a watchful set of eyes stay focused on Malefor, and his silvery paw holds the hilt of his sword, ready to strike at any moment.

Suddenly, that sword is drawn and swung to his right, stopping inches from the cheetah warrior that approached from behind.

"What do you want, Chief Hunter?" The old hermit growls, catching Hunter's scent from down wind, and never taking his eye from the purple dragon atop the East Gate.

"I don't think he's in danger anymore, Tristan..." The new leader of the Cheetah tribe remarks, placing his calm paw upon the blade near his throat, and lowing it to the ground. "...there is no need to keep following him around like his personal shadow!"

Tristan's eyes open wide, and he turns his head away from the purple dragon for the first time in eighteen months.

"So...he told you!" The old cheetah replies, and slowly replaces his sword in its sheath, after seeing a quick nod from Hunter.

"I never meant to anger Malefor, but I didn't want anyone to hurt him!" He says, then removes his sword and hands it to Hunter.

The Great Cheetah Warrior takes the sword in his paw, and holds it before his eyes. He stares with shock at the mythical blade this old hermit carries, knowing it's significance, and why he was originally given this sword.

"He did not ask me to take this, Master Tristan!" Hunter barks, slamming the sword into the old cheetah's chest with a forceful punch, then grasping his armor, and pulling him muzzle to muzzle

"You are the Legendary Dragon-slayer..." The physically stronger of the two says with anger, holding the surprised cheetah from taking his eyes from his own.

"...and yet somehow you are in charge of protecting...A DRAGON!"

Hunter forces Tristan to look up at Malefor, and both can see he and Cyril are having a good laugh together.

"Now, you will be in charge of protecting the Dragon King!" Hunter remarks, and Tristan turns his head to look the young leader in the eye.

"What?"

"He doesn't want his friend to leave..." Hunter remarks, dropping his gruff voice for a softer tone.

"...he just doesn't need you to be everywhere he is...every single moment!"

Tristan takes a deep cleansing breath, replacing his sword to his side, and lets out a very nervous laugh.

"I guess showing up during his date last week was a bit extreme."

"NO!" Hunter blurts out, then shows a very large smile. "Following him to her place after dinner...that was the extreme part!"

Tristan turns red in a heartbeat.

"He told you that too?"

Hunter laughs, as the old cheetah looks like he wants to go back to his cave and die.

"Yes...he did..." The large cat replies with a great deal of humor in his voice, placing a paw on Tristan's shoulder, and giving him a sturdy grip of support. "...and after he threw you out...he told me that he felt nervous for the rest of the night!"

Tristan's eyes show great surprise, hearing a part he didn't hear from Malefor, while being yelled at the next day, then told to stay away from him.

"He actually likes the thought that you still follow him from a distance."

Tristan lowers his head for a moment, then looks at his leader.

"I never really had a friend Chief Hunter...so I didn't know what to do." The old cheetah remarks, then looks back down to the ground, ashamed of his past.

"Only Cynder and her husband have ever shown me any regard, and look how I treated them. For years...never saying a word...and eating the provisions they left behind for a helpless creature."

Tristan looks back up at Malefor, now upset at the fact he is not beside his friend, and enjoying in the conversation.

"I never gave him a chance to breath, and now I have alienated my friend in a different way..." He says, looking back to Hunter, and showing his depression. "...I think I'm destined to be alone...and that is where I should go!"

"And what about your other friends?" The new leader of the cheetah tribe remarks, taking Tristan by complete surprise.

"What Friends?"

"I know for a fact that Fire dragon Sienna holds a deep amount of respect for you, after you and Malefor saved her life..."

The old cheetah's brow raises, as Hunter quickly replies with a good example, and more so as he blurts out two other names.

"...and what about Excelcius and his wife Ampere...didn't they ask you to be godfather to their child when he or she is hatched in a few weeks?"

Tristan lowers his head, and is overwhelmed with a surprising thought.

"_I do have friends!"_

It boggles his mind, never realizing that just a small amount of the right exposure can be enough to show your feelings, and finally begins to understand the definition of a friend. The old cheetah turns to his leader, and suddenly has that same feeling about him.

However, before he can express this feeling, Hunter tightens his grip upon the old cheetah's shoulder, and his voice becomes a bit broken.

"I myself would be distraught to know that one of my FIRENDS, was left to believe he is worthless!"

Tristan's features show gratitude and pain, hearing the emotion of a fierce warrior's voice, and knowing the internal struggle it took for him to say that. The old hermit lowers his head again, and is about to speak from his heart, when suddenly he is startled.

"TRISTAN..." A voice barks from above, and both cheetahs turn their eyes up to the two hovering dragons overhead. The old gray cat is astonished that he never noticed Malefor move from his spot. "...Cyril and I are heading for the Palace...so if you're coming!?"

"See..." Hunter remarks under his breath, and the old hermit looks at the profile of his leader, still staring up at the hovering purple and blue dragons.

"...he wants you to follow him, or he would have just left while you were not looking."

Tristan returns his eyes up, and can see the genuine look from the dragon, and a gesture of his paw confirming it.

"If you don't mind Malefor, I must regretfully pass. I have somewhere else to go!" He replies, and Hunter gives him an uneasy look, knowing the words he spoke before, believing that the old cheetah is going to disappear again.

"Where are you going, Tristan?" Hunter says with uncertainty, as Malefor and Cyril slowly fly towards the Dragon's Palace, the large dragon looking back at his friend with shock.

Tristan grins as Malefor continues to look back, finally flashing the old cheetah a smile himself, and taking off with another new friend to the palace.

"I'm going back to the Dragon's Den..." The old cheetah finally answer, watching the King fly towards his new home, and knowing he will be safe with all those around him.

Hunter gives Tristan a look of puzzlement, until the old warrior's eyes refocus upon his leader. He places his paw upon Hunter's shoulder, returning the same strong grasp.

"...I think I need to buy a drink...for a good friend!" He says calmly and turns himself and the Chief of his tribe towards the pub, aptly named.

"Ohhh...That Dragon's Den!"

* * *

><p>In the center of Dragonfly Park, scorch marks of an intense battle have been erased by time, and the grasses of the Great Lawn have never been more lush. The bright green colors of nature, sparkle with millions of droplets of water, laid down by the new Gardener, Monsoon.<p>

The Water Master enjoys his new charge, as Diamond, no longer living in the city, has chosen a new bodyguard. He keeps nature as the prevailing feature, making sure none of the technology in the city finds its way into the pristine park. However, there are two things in this park that are not natural, and the water dragon will defend those with his life.

A large crystal, sitting in the center of the park, waiting to be struck by any dragon thirsting for knowledge, and a Stone Memorial, now twice the size as it was originally designed.

Monsoon, on his rounds, notices a very familiar dragon standing before the dual rock pillars, and quickly turns towards him.

"Master Tycor!" The water dragon remarks from the sky, slowly descending upon the ground.

The brown and black snake patterned dragon is startled for a second, as he was in deep meditation, however he quickly returns his attention back to the new stone pillar, and lowers his head.

"I'm sorry if I'm standing to close the memorials, Monsoon, but..."

"No, Master Guardian..." Monsoon replies, quickly cutting off Tycor's apology, and placing a paw upon the large dragon's flank.

"...I'm sure Terrador does not mind his successor stopping by to talk!"

"I can't believe this happened Monsoon!" He remarks, placing his paw on the stone pillar he made with his powers, erecting an exact replica of the one Terrador made for Spyro's brother.

"Fate has strange way of working its path through time..." The Water Dragon remarks, laying on his haunches, and staring up at both stone memorials.

"...and now that you are walking this path, you must try to stay upon it!"

Tycor lowers his head with depression, and backs away from the stone structures, laying beside the slightly taller dragon, continuing a conversation they have had for months. The two became friends quickly, and Tycor has received a lot of wisdom from a dragon that spent decades with Diamond.

The inability to speak for most of his life, made the water dragon very unsociable, and Tycor had only a few friends to speak of after it was revealed what happened to him. He became unsociable as well, and Monsoon was one of a few that would even speak to him after the war, other then Spyro and his family.

However, the Earth Dragon soon found many friends after unanimously being appointed Earth Guardian. With the support of the world's Greatest Hero, and the truth behind the Dark Master finally revealed, Tycor became popular again, but it is Monsoon whom he still confides his deepest secrets to.

Seeing the massive dragon as a father-figure, and not just because of his size, the two have spent a lot of time just talking about life in general.

"As a whelpling, My Dad would always tell me that I would be the Earth Guardian someday..." A tear begins to fall from Tycor's eyes as he continues to breakdown his feelings aloud.

"...I just didn't expect it to happen like this!"

The Water dragon becomes quiet, lowering his head, and letting his friend vent his frustration. However, Tycor opens his mouth once more, and says the wrong thing.

"I wish it was I who died, and not him!"

Monsoon raises up on feet, pushes Tycor over on his side, and places a vast amount of his weight upon the brown dragon's neck

"HEY!" The new Earth Guardian barks with shock, and immediately places his paw upon his friend's throat, squeezing with all the strength he can muster.

"Then why are you fighting me?"

The two stare at each other for a few moments, continuing to apply tighter grips until Tycor sudden closes his eyes and gives in.

He releasing his grasp, hoping the Water Master will just finish the job the Dark Master started. However, Monsoon lifts his weight instead, yanking the Earth Guardian to his feet, and pulls him face to face.

"You didn't die...and you killed no one to get this honor!" The Water dragon barks, spraying Tycor with a mist of elemental power, as he uses anger in his words.

"Do you think Terrador was thrilled with the thought of being the replacement for your Father?"

Tycor looks into the eyes of the old dragon, and can see him accessing memories as he continues.

"I was there when Diamond and the other elders handed him that title, and I remember the tears that fell from his eyes!" Monsoon turns his head to the memorials, and takes a deep breath.

"It was the first an only time I ever saw the Earth Guardian cry...until now!"

A long pause fills the air with silence, and only the beating hearts of two powerful masters can be heard. Tycor, suddenly straightens up, seeing his father's image in the large dragon scolding him.

"_We never show our emotion!"_ Titan's voice rings out in his son's head, and the new Earth Guardian's eyes turn a stone gaze to his friend.

"I have shed my last tear..." He remarks with Titan's stern voice, and he turns his attention to the memorial he created for the Great Earth Guardian. Tycor's body envelops itself in granite, and his feet sink into the ground with the extra weight of his frame

"...and I swear on My Father's honor to be as strong as the rock I saw in his replacement!"

"Good!" The Water master bellows, grasping the Earth Guardian by the back of his neck, and giving a test to his rigidity.

The stone dragon doesn't budge an inch, and a wide smile fills Monsoon's muzzle.

"Titan and Terrador would be proud of their successor, knowing that the Earth Element will remain strong."

* * *

><p>In the Valley of Avalar, nervousness takes over a young dragon's limbs, staring at the armor laid out before him. Glowing in the sunlight from a single beam, cutting its path through the small hole Spyro never fixed, the ancient armor shines throughout Sparx' sleeping chamber.<p>

"You're father wore that!" Cynder remarks from behind, startling her son to jump several inches.

"Mom..." Sparx yelps, then struggles to recover his voice after her sudden entrance. "...I didn't see you come in."

Cynder smiles at her son, and strolls up alongside, wrapping her wing around the slightly larger dragon, and staring at her husband's old Fury Armor. Both admire the black steel and gold accents of this incredible armor, and neither say a word for several moments, until Cynder feels a bit of emotion from her son.

She tries not to read his mind, as both Spyro and Sparx have vocally expressed their opinion upon this new power, and was warned by Diamond to contain this ability. However, his spirit begins to swirl with the negative thought that he has had for the last six months, and a moment in time he wishes he could have back.

Cynder takes a deep breath, knowing that Spyro will be home very soon, and finally decides on her own to fix their little problem. Already knowing the issue bothering them both, but not saying a word as instructed, the young Spirit dragoness delicately sets the ball rolling.

"Odd isn't it!" She remarks, making her son take his attention from the depressing thought he's having, and refocus himself upon her eyes.

"What's odd Mom?"

"That you would have to wear Spyro's armor, on the day we crowned Malefor...the King!" She remarks with a bit of sarcasm, realizing how funny that sounds, but truly hoping to get him to open up.

Sparx fakes a smile, then looks back at the helmet with depression.

"I really don't want to do this Mom..." He replies, and Cynder smirks inside as he starts to let her know how he feels on his own. He can tell his mother senses his emotional unbalance, and that he has been keeping a secret from his father.

Sparx has not wanted to express this thought, believing he made a big mistake, and Cynder never pressed the issue. However, as the day has approached, the young dragon is having more and more second thoughts.

"...it should be Dad."

"What should be me!" A voice calls out from the entrance to Sparx' room, and the young dragon's face lights up.

"Dad!" He yelps, seeing his father for the first time in a week, as he was doing a special errand for the Portal Master. The young dragon quickly runs to the open arms of his father, and practically tackles him with an overbearing hug.

"I'm so glad you're home!"

Spyro smiles at Cynder, as Sparx buries his head into his Dad's gold chest.

"I wasn't going to miss this day..." The happy father replies, grasping his son, and lifting him up in the air.

"...not even the Dragon of Hell's Gate...or Gaven, was keeping me from watching my boy crown the new King!"

However, as Sparx eyes suddenly show despair, Spyro immediately picks up on his son's emotional flip.

"What's the matter?" He asks, and Sparx looks away and back to his mother.

"I don't want to crown the new King, Dad..." He replies, and he returns his now teary eyes to Spyro's. "...It shouldn't be him!"

The purple and gold dragon looks at his wife, showing concern, and Cynder just strolls towards the door.

"I think he finally needs to tell his father something..."

The young mother places a gentle paw upon her son's cheek, and brushes off several tears.

"...so tell him the truth, baby." Cynder remarks, already knowing what is bothering him, hearing his thoughts as clear as Diamond could.

"He will never disappoint you, if you show him your true feelings!"

Spyro's heart fills with love, as Cynder's words truly express her feelings, however, with a quick poke to his back from the point of her tail-blade, he returns his eyes to his wife.

"And you better tell him too, Spyro!"

The purple hero refocuses his attention to his wife, and his heart begins to pound. He has a secret of his own, and one that he has only told to a good friend. However, with Cynder's deep green eyes expressing her anger, Spyro knows the his wife has knowledge of this secret as well.

"Are you OK?" Spyro asks anxiously, turning to his son, and seeing the same look on Sparx' face as his own.

"NO Dad, I'm not!" He simply replies, looking down at the ground, and his father place his paws upon the floor.

Sparx lumbers over to the small pool, continually feed by the river running by the side of the cave, and he splashes some of the cool water on his face. Spyro becomes a bit concerned, watching his son pace like an expecting father, and lowers to the ground on his haunches. The purple dragon lifts his right wing for Sparx to lay by his side, but the youngster hesitates.

"What is it?" He asks somberly, showing more concern as his son would always be by his side in an instant when he did that.

"Please tell me, Sparx! I want to know why my son no longer wants to crown the new King!"

Sparx sighs deeply, then slowly walks to his father's side, laying down under his wing.

"I made big mistake Dad..." The young dragon remarks, turning his head up to look his father in the eyes. "...I never should have opened my mouth."

"You spoke from your heart, Sparx!" Spyro replies, knowing exactly what he is referring to, and the guilt that has followed them both from that day. However this reply only makes his son feel worse, and Sparx pulls himself from under his father's wing, walking over to the small beam of light coming through the ceiling.

"Are you mad at me, Dad?"

Spyro is on his feet in a second, and by his son's side faster, placing a paw of support on his back.

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because I choose HIM...over my Father!" Sparx cries out, saying what he has wanted since opening his muzzle during a meeting of the Elders six months ago.

Spyro snorts a small ring of smoke from his nostrils, as the thought of him as King of Avalar makes the purple dragon laugh inside.

"Oh no Sparx...I was really happy when you spoke up..." Spyro replies, laying down, and pulling his son down with him.

"I don't want to be the King..." He whispers into his ear, and the young father wraps his arm around his boy, practically smothering him to the ground, and staring at the Fury Armor before them.

"I don't want that responsibility anymore..." He continues, turning his head towards the entrance of the room, and smiling. Spyro can now see his other responsibility, walking into his brother's room to investigate.

A baby whelpling, barely a foot tall, and very unstable on his feet, slowly treks into the room he is not allowed. His purple eyes are locked upon his Dad, even though his wobbly strides shake his body. The little whelpling is identical to his father in every way, except a small diamond-shaped scale of his mother's color, sitting directly in the center of his forehead.

"I already have two very important things to worry about..." He remarks as the tiny purple whelpling

slowly gets closer to his father, lifting his left wing up for his other son to lay beside him.

"...and both are in this room!"

"What are you doing in my room Malefor?" Sparx says with a bit of sternness in his voice, and the little whelpling stops short of his Dad, not realizing his much older and bigger brother is there too. He blurts out an inaudible sound of fear, quickly turning around to leave, however Sparx is out from under his father in a blink.

He leaps before his six month old baby brother, and scoops him up in his paws. The older dragon takes him further into the room he's not allowed, and places his younger sibling on the pillow that he sleeps upon, still saturated with his mother and father's scent.

Spyro smiles, as Sparx places the large Fury Helmet on top of little Malefor, covering him completely, and turns back to his father with a very proud grin.

"Look Dad...he's almost big enough for this one already!"

Little Malefor begins to laugh, as his big brother laughs, and Spyro's aura explodes with the sensation of watching his children bonding so well.

"Do you mind Spyro!" An old voice calls out from behind, and the purple dragon returns his eyes to the entrance of the room, staring upon the new house guest invited by his wife and new bodyguard.

"Diamond, my friend, how are you feeling today?" The purple dragon asks, getting to his feet quickly, and helping the very frail dragon inside.

"I've had better days..." He replies, wincing with each step, then stopping to hold Spyro for a second, and finishes his thought with a bit of sarcasm.

"...but I have had much worse, so I guess I shouldn't complain!"

The old dragon smiles at Spyro and his son, slowly laying upon his belly to rest his tired legs. He opens his mouth to speak, however, a glow of light from under the helmet takes his attention, and he lifts it up to discover the third purple dragon in the room.

"Oh...so that is why it's so bright in here!" The old albino barks, faking his surprise, and the little whelpling lights up brighter in his blind eyes.

The old dragon returns the same infectious smile to Spyro's new son, then covers him with the Fury Helmet again. However, as the youngster has his sight blocked,Diamond returns his eyes to his brother and father, now with a bit of sternness.

"So what was with the spiritual light show you two just put on?" Diamond asks bluntly, easily seeing the emotional roller coaster both dragons just rode.

Spyro turns his eyes to his son, and Sparx just lowers his head.

"I'm tired of watching Cynder walking around depressed..." He continues, making both dragons turn focus to him.

"...so if she is not going to talk...I will!"

"What are talking about?" Spyro asks, and Diamond just squints his eyes with more anger.

"I swear young dragon...you are as stubborn as they come when it come to YOUR feelings..." Diamond barks at the larger purple dragon, then locks his eyes on Sparx.

"...and it appears it is one of the traits you passed on to YOUR SON!"

Both father and son lower their heads, as Diamond shows them a look of complete disgust.

"I cannot believe you two can be so understanding to the feelings of others, but not take the time to express what is on your minds!"

The white dragon stands on his feet, and stride up to Spyro's son.

"I could tell you were not happy with the choice you made, young dragon!" The Great Elder remarks, and Sparx' eyes open wide. "Your aura shot to the sky when you said his name, then plummeted to the ground realizing you choose him over your father."

Diamond reaches out his paw, placing it on Sparx' cheek, showing the young dragon the exact moment that has tainted his spirit for the last six months.

"_You were so angry that no one had even mention his name for consideration..." _

Standing by his father, in the large temple beside the castle, Sparx watches as nine elders bark names in a blur of noise. He keeps looking up at his father, whom remains silent, knowing if he spoke any name, the entire counsel would be swayed to follow the Purple Dragon's choice.

"Why don't we ask Malefor to be the King Dad?" Sparx quietly asks his father, and Spyro gives his son a very odd look.

"Why him?"

"Because...He was the King!" Sparx remarks with pride in his foster father's past.

"What was that?" Diamond's voice fills the counsel's room, calling young Sparx out.

"_When I heard you say those words, and saw the aura inside your father jump...I had to open my mouth!" _

"Silence everyone!" Diamond barks, hushing the entire counsel, and locking eyes on the now startled dragon. "It was very loud in here, and I didn't quite hear that, Master Sparx!"

The two-toned son of Spyro, shocked that the old dragon could hear him from so far, becomes scared to repeat the words he spoke to his father. However, with a confident look from the Great Elder, the young dragon blurts out his idea for Terrador's replacement as King of Avalar.

"Malefor was the King before Avalar was attacked!" He barks with a dead seriousness, then slowly looks at everyone's shock. "It was not his fault the crown was taken from him, and I think he should be given back what is rightfully his!"

The place suddenly erupts with hissing and jeers, and several taunts are made to the young dragon, until Spyro steps forward.

"Sparx, leave the room...NOW!" He remarks with anger, and the young dragon takes his rage the wrong way, turning away from his father with a sudden regret, and several tears in his eyes.

"_He was not angry with you Sparx, and made everyone know that...after you walked out!"_

"HOW DARE YOU!" The purple dragon barks at the Counsel of Elders, showing his white eyes filling with rage. "That was my son you just sent from this room, feeling like he betrayed his race, and his father!"

"BUT SPYRO!" An old Earth dragon remarks, standing from his cushion, then sitting back down as the purple dragon strides towards him.

"BUT NOTHING!" He barks, forcing everyone to jump with his thunderous voice, defending the choice his son made.

"_Your father then stood up...for your other father!"_

"You fear Malefor, because he was the Dark Master..." He continues, his purple irises return and circle around the room of old dragons. They stop at Diamond, sitting quietly with a smile, and watching the purple dragon's aura explode with pure pride.

"...well he is also my son's...father!"

Gasps are heard from around the room.

"YES...You heard me!" He continues, again looking around the room and making sure to make eye contact with everyone.

"Malefor raised my son, and you all know that, but what you don't know is that I could not have done a better job at bringing him up myself."

Spyro lowers his head, not feeling bad about Malefor raising his son, but only that he lost those years.

"As I'm sure you have all heard, my newest son hatched yesterday..." Spyro remarks, raising his head, and showing his tears

"...Cynder and I had yet to decide upon a worthy name, and my son had made that same suggestion..."

Spyro smiles and looks at Diamond, and with a simple stare the old dragon knows his choice.

"...I think I should name him after the bravest dragon on Avalar, and the one whom I also believe should be our new King!"

Spyro turns his attention to the door Sparx walked from, then swiftly leaves to find his son. The room fills with dead silence as the Great Hero of Avalar walks out angry, then all eyes focus on Diamond as he begins laughing.

"_I could see your father's aura swirl together in harmony as he reached his decision, and I agreed with him completely!"_

"Well now, my fellow, old, ignorant dragons...that was not smart!" The Great Elder remarks with a sarcastic tone, and several of the pompous counsel begin asking the same question.

"What did that mean?"

The white dragon does not answer, slowly striding to the same door Spyro walked from, and hearing the same question asked over and over. Finally, as Diamond reaches the door, and opens it wide, he looks back at the counsel and answers with anger in his voice

"MALEFOR shall retake his throne!"

The gasps of the elders are hushed as Diamond walks out of the room, and shuts the solid door.

"Worthless old dragons!"

"I agree!" Spyro remarks from the balcony, looking for his son from the high perch, and not finding him. "They have no clue of the pain that took for him to say that, only to be yelled at by these old crackpots..."

"HEY!" Diamond remarks, and Spyro blushes for a second, as the four thousand year plus dragon practically collapses with exhaustion beside him.

"Sorry Diamond...I'm just upset about Sparx!" The purple dragon remarks, looking over the balcony again for any sign of his son. "He thinks I hate Malefor, and I did, especially after I saw what he did to my home!"

"_He told me everything he could never tell you!"_

The purple dragon returns his eyes to Diamond and confesses.

"But the truth is I don't hate him...I'm jealous of him!"

"Spyro?!"

"He got to see my son grow up, and that is something he cannot give back to me..." The purple hero lowers to the ground, filled with the only pain still left in his heart, and a pain he knows will never go away.

"...I don't know what my first born son was like growing up, watching him take his first steps, and seeing the look on his face as he flew for the first time."

Diamond places a paw on Spyro's shoulder, helping the purple dragon with his emotions, however he grasps the white paw gently, and removes it from his shoulder.

"No Diamond...I have found my spirit again..." Standing back on his feet and placing a paw the Elder's shoulder. "...and it was when Sparx just stood up for his...father!"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME DAD?" Sparx barks at his father, quickly breaking the connection between he and Diamond, and staring at Spyro with anger.

"WHAT?" The purple dragon answers with complete surprise, not seeing the visions his son was just shown, and Sparx becomes even more annoyed.

"You made me feel horrible for these last few months, believing that I betrayed you!"

Spyro turns his attention to Diamond and flashes a look of anger, realizing a secret confession was told, then looks back at his son.

"I'm sorry, Sparx...I was embarrassed..." He replies, regret quickly filling his voice. "...and I didn't want you to know that...I was afraid of something so stupid!"

The young dragon's eyes quickly change from rage to compassion, and Sparx strides up to his father.

"What were you afraid of Dad?"

Spyro looks up at his son, then back down, ashamed of his answer, but mostly worried he will hear the wrong response.

"That Malefor is a better father then I am, and that you see him above me, because I did for so long!"

Sparx is dumbfounded for a moment, as his father lowers further to the ground.

"Well that's not how I saw it, Dad!" He replies, and Spyro lifts his head, showing his son a difficult smile.

"I know that now Sparx...and I can finally say I see myself in you!" The purple and gold dragon answers, then looks at Malefor, trying to lift the huge helmet off his tiny body.

"I see the way you are with your..." Spyro suddenly stops, and looks at Sparx, making sure to make eye contact, then whispers so Malefor cannot hear him. "...little...Brother!"

The purple dragon turn to his youngest and grins as Malefor never heard his father call him little.

"I loved my brother so much..." The purple dragon continues, grasping his son's paw, and holding it tightly. "...and when I see you with Malefor...it reminds me of myself, and the best friend I ever had!"

Sparx takes a deep breath, then lowers down on his haunches beside his father, matching his old man's posture to perfection.

"He's so small Dad..." the young dragon blurts out, and Malefor turns his head to look at Sparx, showing a bit of anger in his tiny purple eyes.

"...he needs someone like me to make sure he doesn't get into trouble..."

Spyro's heart begins to pound in his chest, as Sparx repeats the same thing he told his mother and father, when he was just a child.

"...or is strong enough to get him out of the trouble I get him into!"

Spyro's eyes open wider, now hearing the same thought, he didn't say to his parents.

"HEY!" the young father barks, placing his wing on his son, and holding him tighter then before. Spyro looks at Sparx and with just his gaze, shows deep affection. Tears begin to form in his eyes, recalling so many different experiences with his little brother, and seeing them all play out with his sons.

"Don't take advantage of him too much...or he will eventually get you back worse then you can imagine!"

"Yeah...like chaining your horns to the floor while you sleep!"

Everyone's attention returns to the door, as three dragonflies hover by the entrance.

"Wow Sparx...you should have seen how angry your father was when he woke up that morning..." Flash barks, flying up to his son's face, and showing the large smile he showed him that same day.

"...but, of course, that was only after Spyro glued his brother's wings together the night before!"

Nina, flying beside her daughter Sapphire, shoots Spyro a dirty look.

"Oh...I so remember that..." She snidely comments, then looks down at her large grandson, laying beside his father.

"...and I even remember getting the chain for Sparx the next night!"

"What!" Both Spyro and Flash remark, starring at Nina as she smiles and turns towards Sparx.

"They loved to tease each other, and I loved to encourage it every day."

Sparx smile with his grandmother, however, when he looks at his father, the young dragon's smirk slowly disappears.

"I never had THIS...with Malefor..." He bluntly remarks with a certain sadness in his voice and eyes... eyes he quickly shuts to cover his emotions.

His Grandparents become a bit worried seeing the sudden intensity in both of their faces, but as Sparx rears up on his hind legs and wraps his arms around Spyro's neck, everyone in the room settles.

"...and I have never thought once of going back to him for anything" He whispers for his father, and Spyro's eyes also close, covering his shame.

"I'm so sorry, Sparx..." He replies, raising his right arm and placing it upon his son's back. "...I will never keep my feelings from you again...I swear!"

Spyro raises up on his hind legs, holding his son high into the beam of light, happy he never fixed it.

"I promise to tell my boy what's on my mind, and make sure I listen to what ever he wishes to tell his father!"

Sparx smiles uncontrollably, and more so as Spyro returns him to his gold chest, smothering his oldest son in his arms.

Young Malefor quickly leaps from under the large helmet his brother placed on him, seeing his father hugging Sparx with such emotion. The whelpling gets only a few feet, before Spyro scoops his tiny frame in his paw, and brings him to his chest as well.

Sparx, turns his head to look at his brother, and relaxes hearing the beat of Spyro's heart, and seeing the smile on his brother's face.

"I never had THIS from Malefor, Dad!" He remarks again, and buries his head deeper into his father's chest.

"Malefor's the jealous one Spyro..." Diamond remarks, knowing the feelings his old friend experienced, losing the adopted son he had for six years back to his rightful family.

"...and he would be upset if his son didn't crown him...as he was told."

Sparx and Spyro's hearts skip a beat at the same moment, and they both look at each other.

"He's right..." Spyro says with the smile reappearing on his face, remembering what the large dragon looked like when he told him who would be crowning him.

"...you should have seen Malefor's face, Sparx...he was happier then I am now!"

The young dragon looks down at his brother, clueless to what is going on at his age, but showing concern seeing the anguish on his brother's face. The young two-toned dragon shows Malefor a smile, and the little whelpling returns to his joyful self

Sparx scans the room, looking at his grandparents and Diamond, and seeing the same joy in their faces. His wandering eyes finally stop as they find his mother just standing at the door, waiting for her son and her husband to work out one last issue.

"I told you Sparx...he is stubborn!" Cynder remarks, knowing the whole struggle between them was simple, but not interfering with her new powers.

The dark purple dragoness with white highlights strolls into the room, and strokes her paw down Sparx' muzzle to his horns, then rubs the top of his head.

"But that stubbornness is in everything he does, baby..." Cynder continues, looking into her husband's eyes. "...including the way he loves his son, and doesn't want him to feel the pain he has!"

Cynder looks down at Malefor, and rubs his head. She can see a bit of jealousy in his eyes, noticing Sparx getting all of the attention, and tries to distract herself with his smile. She can also tell that Spyro is angry for revealing a thought, but the Spirit dragoness has had enough, and knows that Diamond just opened the door.

"Your father is struggling with the idea that you find him weak..." She bluntly says, expressing the one thought that he has had running through his head for eighteen months.

"CYNDER!" Spyro barks, but she quickly places her paw on his muzzle, never taking her green eyes from Sparx.

"...so please, tell him he wants to hear already...because I'm tired of this, and we need to get going!"

Sparx looks at his mother, knowing this is why he is regretting his choice in the Elders chamber six month earlier.

"You are much stronger then him dad..." the young dragon answers bluntly, and turns his head up to look at his father, showing complete confidence in his words. "...that's never been a question in my mind, and the reason I think you should be the King!"

Spyro pauses for a long moment, unsure of how his son sees him in such light.

"I am not nearly as strong as him, Sparx!"

"NO Dad...you're wrong..." He replies, and looks into his mother's eyes, reciting the words she has heard him say over and over in his mind.

"...you have a stronger heart then him, and that is where true strength is found. I think Avalar is getting the second best dragon!"

Sparx shows a sudden strange look of embarrassment.

"That's why I am upset...I choose Malefor out of selfishness, Great Elder..." Sparx remarks, suddenly looking at Diamond with sorrow. "...I'm sorry, I didn't want my dad to be King, because he would be to busy with everyone else...and have no time for me!"

"Well I won't tell anyone, young dragon..." The Great Elder replies quickly with a smile. "...and it doesn't matter anyway, since all objections have already been heard, and put down, so you have no SAY any longer."

"HOWEVER..." Diamond barks, expressing anger in his voice, and startling Sparx and his father. "...now I must find a new crown bearer!"

The old Spirit dragon smirks as Sparx' aura drops to the ground, suddenly wanting nothing more then to have this honor.

"NO...Master Diamond!" He yelps with fear, then looks at his father with a sudden shock, realizing he did it again.

"I mean...if you don't mind Dad...I don't want you to feel like..."

Spyro places his paw on Sparx' muzzle stopping his words, and expressing his pride with a confident gaze.

"I want nothing more then to have you crown the new King..." Spyro hugs his son tightly, then looks at Diamond. "...because I want to see the look in my son's eyes, as he honors his father!"

Cynder and the Great Elder cover their eyes, as the room brightens beyond their ability to see.

"I love you Dad!"

* * *

><p>Several hours have passed, and a party, rivaling the reception thrown for Spyro and Cynder's wedding, continues in the Main Square of New Warfang. The city is lit up with all its splendor, as twilight has fallen. The largest sun, its path taking it behind the mountains, no longer fills the city with its light, and darkness takes over the empty streets.<p>

The party becomes more rowdy as several new Guardians, named before the actual crowning of Malefor, are using their elements to put on a show. The crowd cheers all eight, but the most noise is for a new elemental Guardian, and he is forced to give an encore.

Blanca walks out onto the replaced balcony on the north side of the Dragon's Palace, and looks out towards the large crowd. His eyes stop upon a group of huddle dragons, and one in particular holding a large black banner high in the air...the new Shadow Clan Leader

Touched by Spyro's power, this young dragon proved himself as the best choice, easily defeating everyone that opposed his claim. The new Guardian bows his head in respect to Nightshade, and smiles, knowing he influenced him to take control.

The smile is returned to his hero, and Nightshade quickly gets a chant of his name going through the crowd.

A plume of Shadow Fire is suddenly released from his muzzle towards the masses, and everyone is startled for a moment. However, with his control, Blanca gently cools the square with the icy cold feeling of this special element, tingling everyone to the bone.

The crowd erupts again in unison, and the large black dragon looks back to his fellow Guardians with a smug grin

"I could have done that too..." Cyril remarks sarcastically, and all of the Guardians laugh as he voices his opinion, then looks back at Blanca with a facade of anger. "...he's cheating!"

"I agree..." Volteer replies, showing the Shadow dragon the same look of disapproval. "...think if I used my element to influence the crowd!"

Another burst of laughter is heard from the Guardians, as Blanca continues to wow the masses with his mystical power, and all eight suddenly feel a bonding with each other.

"I will enjoy more company in the Temple." Cyril remarks, looking up towards the Western Palace that the Guardians now reside, and smiles seeing ten flags flying upon its roof.

"Yes...my old friend, I cannot wait either..." Volteer adds, seeing the same nine solid-colored banners that represent the Guardians, and one with all colors combined in harmony, soaring slightly higher.

"...it will be a pleasure to have so many dragons back in the temple, and discuss their powers. I was never aware that there were eight Guardians, and I find it will be very beneficial to the Dragon Realms, with this type of knowledge under one roof, to progress our race forward... "

Volteer pauses for only a second to take a breath, then turns his head to the two purple dragons to everyone's right.

"...I'm so happy that Malefor has decided to return these elements to Guardian status...I think he is going to do an incredible, remarkable, stupendously wonderful..."

"SHUT UP!" Cyril barks, startling everyone, even Blanca as he continues to perform, and Volteer stops his words in a moment.

"The best thing about eight Guardians is now you will have six other dragons to talk the ears off of!" Cyril remarks sharply, and everyone starts laughing.

Spyro, standing off to the Guardian's right, chuckles at the comment Cyril makes, and turns his attentions towards the diverse group of elemental dragons. However, Malefor, not paying attention, as the new King has other things on his mind, repeats the same question to the purple hero.

"Is he really going to do it Spyro?" Malefor asks the smaller dragon, and Spyro quickly gestures his head up and down again, trying to get in on the mocking fight between the two old Guardians.

"And you have no issues with this...Right?"

Spyro turns around, showing a bit of anger in his features, not being able to compliment Cyril on a funny line, and steps up to the large purple dragon.

"I have issues with you asking me that over and over, Malefor!" He replies, raising up on his hind legs to stare the taller dragon eye to eye, showing some rage, but still compassion for his friend's feelings.

"I know you're nervous..." He continues, looking deep into Malefor's eyes, and seeing his uneasiness. "...he is too..."

Spyro looks back at his son, and both make eye contact. He smiles for his boy, quickly calming him across the room, as he saw both his fathers in deep discussion.

"...but I told him he needs to be strong for his father."

Malefor's eyes open wide, however, before he can question Spyro's last statement, a bell rings loud from the top of the Temple of Guardians, and the sounds of cheers for the Shadow Guardian suddenly change to a course of the new King's name.

"MALEFOR... MALEFOR..."

"Listen to them..." Spyro barks with pride, hearing the name he choose for his son, echoing into the great hall.

"...you did this yourself...and I want you to remember this day forever..."

Spyro turns his head to see his wife placing his old Fury helmet on Sparx' head, and handing him the jeweled crown.

"...so I think it's fitting that the new King be crowned by his son!"

Malefor's is surprised, not seeing any flinch in Spyro's eyes, nor a difference in his pulse. He looks over to Sparx himself, and the young dragon shows a very wide grin.

"I only wish he was mine Spyro..." the large dragon says, looking back at his new friend with pain in his eyes. "...I envy you so much!"

Spyro lowers his head hearing the same ache in Malefor's heart that he felt himself earlier.

"Well today...he is your son..." Spyro replies, placing a paw on Malefor's shoulder, and staring into his shocked eyes. "...and I made sure he knows that!"

"Spyro?"

"Look at what you've done here!" The smaller dragon remarks, suddenly turning away from Malefor and pointing out towards the city.

"You are not yet King, and have already made incredible changes..." He continues, looking back at the large dragon with a confident stare. "...why would I not want my boy to be influenced by you!"

Spyro strides over to the balcony, and gestures his head for Malefor to follow.

"They have seen the dragon that raised my son..." The smaller of two bluntly says, then grips Malefor's shoulder tightly. "...and that is the dragon you need to be."

Spyro again looks over to his wife and son, as Cynder gives Sparx a bit of energy to help calm his nerves.

"Look at him Malefor..."

The large dragon can feel a sudden bound with Sparx, as both are terrified.

"...he is just like his father!"

"My fellow Avalarians..." A female voice calls out, and suddenly the crowds becomes rambunctious, knowing the coronation of a new King is only moments away. They cheer for him louder, and the large dragon begins to shutter with nerves once more, standing just out of view of the crowd bellow.

"...The Guardians shall now proclaim their choice before the Great Ancestors!"

"And now...he will honor his father..." Spyro says with pride, sitting down on his hind quarters beside his former enemy.

"...both of them!"

As the announcement is made for the Eight Guardians of Avalar to step forward, the large dragon decides to pester his friend once more, trying to settle his own nerves.

"Are you sure, Spyro?" Malefor asks, and the purple dragon shows him an angered stare for asking again. However before Spyro can reply with frustration, the New King shows his humor in the moment.

"I can still turn down the crown if you want it?"

The fully-armored purple dragon, wearing a massive ceremonial garb for the occasion, suddenly gets the joke, and chuckles realizing he was not talking about his son.

"You would have to wear this stupid thing!" He replies sarcastically, and Malefor looks him up and down.

"Good Call! I'll be the King..." He replies calmly, showing a wide grin to his new friend and mentor in life.

"...you look hideous in that!"

Spyro and Malefor laugh, and both return their attention to the balcony, as one by one, eight dragons ready to swear their loyalty to the New King.

In order of experience the Guardians introduces themselves to the crowd.

An orange glow of light envelops the balcony, as a slender dragoness steps out onto the terrace. She is dark blue in color, but the her armor bathes her body in the same hue as the lights shining upon her.

The young dragoness walks up to the edge of the balcony, and upon the raised platform, where she stood only an hour ago to accept her new title

"I am Storm... Guardian of Wind..." She barks out with nervous pride, then places her paw upon an old stone on the pedestal before her. "...and my choice is Malefor!"

A portion of the crowd goes crazy, where her parents and friends sit, watching a powerful wind dragoness make her first proclamation as a Guardian. She smiles herself, then turns to one of the nine raised platforms, and using only her wind power, lifts herself up to the cheers of the entire crowd.

Suddenly the lights turn bright white, and another female strides upon the terrace. She stares out at the crowd with a smile on her face, then disappears in the next step. The crown is stunned for a moment, and more so as her voice is suddenly heard echoing in the Main Square.

"I am Crystal... Guardian of Light..." The white dragon suddenly reappears, her paw upon the old stone, and blue eyes focused up towards the Ancestors. "...and my choice is Malefor!"

She vanishes again, quickly reappearing beside Storm, and the crowd erupts with her display of power. Crystal blushes for a moment, sending color into her white face, however, after a few seconds, no one can see it as the lights go out in the entire city.

Shouts of fear ring out, but last only a second, as a plume of Shadow fire fills the sky with a dark blue glow. The crowd then erupts, as a single spotlight hits the black dragon walking out towards the raised platform.

"Wow... talk about being the showman..." Spyro remarks, as Blanca poses for his new fans. "...looks like you have competition for the most obnoxious Guardian, Cyril!"

Volteer chuckles as the Ice Guardian shoots the great hero a very annoyed stare, however they all return their attentions to the black dragon, as he places his paw upon the old stone.

"I am Blanca, Guardian of the powerful world of Shadows...and I choose Malefor as New King of the Dragon Race!"

A plume of smoke is left behind as Blanca vanishes like Crystal, reappearing in the King's position.

"Oops...wrong spot..." He barks, with a smirk on his face, looking over at Spyro and Malefor, and showing the pure arrogance that made him the right choice in the New King's eyes.

"...maybe a few years from now, when the world sees the better dragon standing right here!"

Malefor and Spyro laugh, then both look over at the Ice Guardian.

"Never mind Cyril...he's got you beat paws down!" The larger dragon remarks.

The smiles on their faces show up, as the lights in the city return to normal, then change to a brilliant blue color.

"Do you find him funny...Your majesty!" Cyril remarks, taking Malefor's smile from his, and making the one on Spyro's larger.

However, The water guardian, and the last of four dragons sworn in today as per Malefor's decree, strolls over to the two purple dragons. He shows Malefor a smile, then whispers something into his counterpart's ear. Spyro balks, and tries desperately to keep from laughing, as the large dragon steps out onto the balcony.

"What was that about? What is he going to say?" Malefor asks nervously, as his new best friend Monsoon shows a sinister look in his eyes. Spyro holds his muzzle shut, trying so hard not to laugh, and waits eagerly to hear the first words from the new Water Guardian.

Monsoon gracefully walks to the pedestal holding an old stone, placing his paw gently upon it. He looks down at the crowd, then over to his fellow Guardians. The large dragon clears his throat, readying to make vocal his choice of King, and Spyro begins to shutter with anticipation.

A sudden torrent of Water spews from his muzzle, as the first inaudible grunt bellows from his mouth, and Spyro falls over laughing. Malefor lowers his head, as Monsoon continues making absolutely no sense with his gibberish, and drenching the first few rows with his element.

"Is he serious?" Malefor asks rhetorically, and Spyro laughs harder, hearing the joy in the New King's voice. However, as the Water Guardian begins to hear a few angry boos from the soaked crowd below, he smiles, and shows off his true power.

The large dragon opens his wings, and draws every drop of Water from the crowd. They oh and ah in shock, watching the huge droplets rise against gravity, and gather as a small lake in mid-air.

The city is then bathed in dancing reflections, as Monsoon holds thousands of gallons of water in front of the powerful blue spotlight

"I am Monsoon, and as Guardian of the greatest element Avalar has to offer..." He stops and looks at Malefor directly, then back out over the crowd. "...I hereby choose the greatest dragon Avalar has to offer, as MY King!"

The Water Master smiles, as all eyes lock up him, and calmly he makes his choice known

"I choose Spyro!"

Monsoon lowers his head, and stares at Malefor, showing a very arrogant smile, then corrects himself with complete sarcasm in his voice.

"I'm so sorry...I meant the other purple dragon...ahh, whats his name!"

Both purple dragons are shocked, and the entire crowd takes a deep breath as Monsoon slowly walks to his position. However, one dragon is heard laughing in the background, and Spyro and Malefor turn their heads in unison to him.

The old white dragon is rolling on the floor, holding his stomach with the laughter that is hurting his frail body, and after the moment of complete shock wares off, Spyro gets the joke, and joins in the laughter.

"It appears I'm not even in the top two!" Cyril remarks, and Malefor begins laughing himself.

The night continues without incident as the other four Guardians take their oaths. Tycor, Excelcius, Cyril, and Volteer pledge their support to Malefor, making it a unanimous choice.

"Only one dragon remains!" Ampere, Head of The Palace Guard, and Master of the Festivities remarks, and the city is suddenly bathed in purple. The crowd becomes eerily silent, awaiting the great Hero of Avalar to make the final proclamation.

Sparx standing by his mother, stares out to the balcony, also waiting eagerly for his father to step out and make it official

"Are you ready, Master Sparx!" Spyro remarks, sneaking up behind him, and tapping the young dragon's helmet.

"Dad!" He barks, and Spyro gives him a bit of a stern look.

"I mean Guardian Master!"

The purple dragon smiles, then lowers down seeing the uneasy look on Sparx' face.

"It's only for today, son..." He whispers, now feeling completely secure in his feeling, knowing his son has only one father in his heart. "...I told him that, and I want you to truly believe it as well, so relax and enjoy yourself."

The purple dragon does not let his son answer, slowly striding out onto the balcony. The crowd erupts for their Hero, and Sparx can feel the pride build inside of his soul.

"I love him Mom!" He says to Cynder, as she returns to his side.

"I know you do, Sparx..." the white highlighted dragoness replies, laying beside her son, and draping a wing over his back. "...and now I'm sure he truly knows that too!"

The young dragon stays silent for a moment, listening to the cheers his father is getting, but thinking of only one thing

"I still can't believe he would say what he said." He continues, recalling one thought that obsessed his mind the entire way to the palace.

"_Malefor will need his SON'S support today..."_ Spyro bluntly remarked, taking his boy by the shoulders, and staring into his eyes. _"...like when My Son held me up, the day of my brother's dedication."_

Cynder, seeing her son's quick vision, lowers her head down upon his, and cradles him tightly to the ground.

"He thinks of others before himself Sparx..." She replies, looking up at her husband as he proudly strides towards the podium with the old Stone of the Ancestors.

"...and he is only happy...when those around him are!"

The young dragon smiles deep inside, and the Spirited dragoness feels his aura raise up with pride

"I feel that same way Mom..." He says, and Cynder gently kisses the top of his head.

Sparx then turns his attention to Malefor, now nervously pacing by himself, and a big smile crosses his muzzle. The young dragon is compelled to walk over, letting his mother know how much like his father he really is.

"...and now I need to go make someone else happy!"

Malefor turns his attention to the dark purple dragoness, as Cynder's white highlights brighten with her raised Spirit. However, his eyes lock upon the young dragon before her, striding towards him with pride in his step.

"The only time I ever saw you this nervous..." Sparx remarks snidely, stopping in front of Malefor and showing him a very wide grin. "...was when you surprised me on my birthday!"

Malefor quickly recalls the moment, and the eyes of a young dragon that showed disgust at this gesture.

"You were so upset when I got angry..." Sparx continues, then places his paw upon Malefor's arm.

"...and I wanted to tell how sorry I am for doing that"

The young dragon turns away, and stares at his father, still bowing to the roaring crowd. He sits next to Malefor, holding his exact posture, and recalls one moment in his life for the old dragon, a moment he has told no one.

"I was not angry with you, Malefor...I was afraid..." Sparx looks up at the large purple dragon's eyes. "...it was the first time I felt like I had a Father!"

The young dragon raises up under Malefor's chin, and grasps his large neck, embracing him tightly.

"I love you..." He cries in his ear. "...and I wanted you know how proud I am to crown...my Dad...King of the Dragon Realms."

"I missed you Sparx..." Malefor replies, returning his embrace, and looking out towards Spyro. He can see the purple dragon has paused his steps, and looking back to show his approval.

Malefor nods his head to the real King.

"...and I love you too...my son!"

No one in the crowd below can see the display of affection, as they continue to show their love for the great hero, and Spyro returns his attention to them, keeping this moment between his son and his former guardian.

"I am Spyro!" He barks with fire from his muzzle, and the crowd goes nuts again.

"What a showoff!" Blanca remarks to the white dragoness beside him, and she just gives him a dirty look. However, Monsoon can see the reason for a lengthened distraction, and turns his head to Tycor.

"I think my first choice was the best one!" He says with a certain amount of smugness, and the Earth Guardian looks over to Malefor and Sparx.

"No my friend...either one would have be fine if you asked me..." Tycor replies, looking at Spyro and remembering thoughts from the battle in his mind. "...however, I think we got this choice right!"

"Why do you think that?" Monsoon asks, as the purple dragon places his paw upon the stone before him.

"Because I saw his thoughts Monsoon, and I can say without a doubt, Spyro would be happier ruling his family, and not the Dragon Realms!"

Monsoon, simply nods his head, and looks at Spyro as he confidently speaks from his heart.

"Humph! Maybe you're right...for once!"

"With no objections to his claim, and by the power vested upon me as Head Guardian, and Master of all Elements. I hereby call Malefor to come forward, and take his place as King of the Dragon Realms."

The crowd slowly builds up in noise, then erupts as his first paw strikes the terrace. The balcony lights up in a rainbow of colors, as all the elements are represented for the King.

Malefor gingerly paces towards Spyro, whom rears up on his hind legs to greet the much taller dragon

"Thank you, Guardian Master!" Malefor says in his ear, as Spyro gives him a strong embrace.

"You earned this..." He replies, then looks over at his son waiting with crown in paw.

"...and so did he!"

"You are a far better dragon then I am!" Malefor remarks, and Spyro quickly smiles.

"I know!" He replies with a stubborn confidence, but also because that is exactly what his son told him.

Malefor watches the stronger purple dragon take a back seat to his authority, and with a deep pride in his voice, he calls out to the crowd.

"I am Malefor, son of Pulsar and Isis..." He says, placing his paw upon the old stone, and raising his head to the sky.

"...and I graciously accept this humbling honor once more..."

Tears begin to flow from his eyes, recalling the moment his first reign ended, and believing he would never be standing in this position again.

"...I wish only now...to prove my worthiness to the dragon I believe should be standing here." Malefor continues, turning his head to Spyro, and showing him a very wide grin.

"However, I know for a fact...he has a more important responsibility!"

Suddenly the crowd is in awe, as a tiny whelpling, clad in a replica of his father's armor, wobbles out onto the balcony. Spyro's eyes open wide, seeing his youngest son walking to the stage, then turns to see the large smile on his wife's face, whom just placed him down by the door.

"This young whelpling is why I am here..." Malefor remarks, lifting the tiny dragon with his name in a single paw, and showing him off to the masses below.

"...he is the future, and I am proud to place our future in such strong paws."

The larger purple dragon then hands Malefor over to his father, and grasps Spyro's shoulder tightly.

"...that is why I swear before all the Ancestors...My fellow guardians...and the greatest dragon ever to walk this planet..."

Malefor pauses for a second, keeping eye contact with the purple dragon, and places his right paw upon the Stone of the Ancestors.

"...that I will defend Avalar and the Dragon Realms with my life!"

A smirk crosses Spyro's face, and he returns a sturdy paw to Malefor's shoulder.

"I know you will..." he says confidently, looking towards his other son standing by the large jeweled crown. "...because Sparx said so!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen..." Ampere's voice rings out, and the balcony goes dark. A single spotlight then focuses on Malefor, and Spyro pushes him away to be in the light by himself.

"...we will now crown the new King!" She continues, and another spotlight shines by the entrance to the terrace.

Sparx rears up on his hind legs, and takes a firm grip of the crown. His eyes then turn to his mother, and even without reading his mind, she can feel his joy.

"I'm the luckiest dragon in the world, Mom" He suddenly says, turning to the balcony, and straightening his posture. "I get to crown my father, before the eyes of my father..." The young son of four special parents glances back to one of them, and shows off his sparkling aura with a feeling of total contentment. "...and both of my mothers are watching from here...and from above."

Cynder begins to cry, as Sparx steps out onto the balcony, and she herself looks up towards the heavens.

"_Thank you, Snow..."_ She says with her Spirit, then stares at her son proudly, as he never breaks stride. "_...I could not have done better!"_

"Presenting the Crown..." Ampere calls out loudly, trying to raise her voice over the cheers for Spyro's son, and new Hero of Avalar. "...Sparx...son of Spyro and Cynder!"

Her voice is as loud as she can get it, but the crowd goes crazy, and drowns her out. However, Spyro suddenly jumps forward, and holds his paws up in the air.

"PLEASE...STOP!" He yells, and everyone quickly quiets down. They mutter amongst themselves, as the purple dragon holds the ceremony, whispering into Ampere's ears, and looking back at his son with a great smile on his face. Spyro, without a word said to Malefor or Sparx, returns to his position, and looks back to the Master of Ceremonies

"Go ahead Ampere..." He remarks sternly, as she pauses for a few seconds, staring at him with shock. "...I really meant it!"

She nods her head, seeing the look in the eyes from one of her teachers, and knowing Spyro means what he said. The young electric dragoness lowers her head, taking a second to compose herself, then looks back out towards the crowd.

"Excuse me, but I misspoke..." She says with embarrassment, then returns to her booming voice.

"...presenting the crown is Sparx...Son of Malefor and Snow!"

Sparx, stunned by what he hears, loses his composure and his grip. The sound of the crown hitting the marble floor is then heard over the hushed crowd, as everyone in the city is floored by this statement.

Spyro smiles, seeing the look on his son's and Malefor's faces.

"I owe you my Life, and you know I will make good on that debt someday Spyro..." Malefor remarks aloud, staring at his 'son for the day', as he quickly picks up the crown he dropped.

"...but I'm afraid I can never repay you for this!"

The younger purple dragon leans forward, and places his paw on the new King's back.

"I only ask two things from you Malefor!" He says with a sarcastic tone, and the large dragon rolls his eyes slightly.

"One...I want you to allow everyone on Avalar to raise their families in peace..." He says with pure resolve, knowing this dragon had every plan to do exactly what he has just asked. Spyro then holds his young son before him. "...including myself!"

"And what's the second thing, Spyro?" He asks sternly, realizing the great hero was not being sarcastic, and wanting nothing more then to know his friend's requests.

Spyro removes his paw, and leans back to his position as Sparx finally arrives with the crown.

"I want your son to see you more then once every eighteen months...understand!"

Sparx drops the crown again, but this time Malefor catches it before it strikes the ground. Riding an emotional high, the large dragon feels as if time has slowed, without him manipulating it.

"I will easily repay that debt, Spyro..." He says smiling, and hands young Sparx the crown he dropped again. The large dragon then stares into the eyes that helped take his mind off the hell he lived in.

"...I assure you...the Valley of Avalar will be on the King's agenda quite often!"

Malefor turns back to the crowd, sits down in front of Spyro and the Guardians, and arches his head to accept the crown.

Sparx, still staring at his dad with shock, has completely forgotten what he was doing. The young dragon is floored by the way his father is at ease with Malefor, and cannot understand how his mother could have been so wrong.

One moment in time strikes him, recalling the day he first called Malefor...Dad, then witnessed his mother flip out.

"_Maybe he wasn't my Dad..." _He says to himself, looking back at Cynder, and showing her a vast grin. _"...but he is a good father."_

His mother smiles, and Sparx can tell she sees his aura climbing high.

"AHH HEM!" Spyro grunts, pulling the young dragon's attention to him, then gesturing his eyes to Malefor's empty head.

The powerful two-toned dragon, stares down at the jeweled crown in his paws, then back up to his father with a wide smile.

"Yes Master Guardian..." He says, opening his wings wide to rise up to the tall dragon's head, however he stops and looks Spyro in the eyes once more.

"...and thank you Dad!" He says without voice, only mouthing the words.

Spyro nods his head, and Sparx raises up to the sky. His wings beat softly, holding his position just above Malefor, and with his front paws, holds the jeweled crown high.

"I am Sparx...son of Malefor and Snow..." He calls out, then feels a sharp pain come from inside, unable to say this without regretting his feelings for his dad.

The young dragon reaches his hind paw back, grasping blindly for his father, however, he ends up planting his paw on Spyro's muzzle.

Sparx slowly works his foot down his dad's gold chest, then stops as he feels the beat of his heart. He digs his talons into the purple dragon's gold scales, holding on tightly for any support.

Spyro, with little Malefor in his left paw, places his right palm upon his son's foot, holding it tighter to his heart. The young father pats his paw several times in support, allowing his son to finish a painful but proud moment in his life.

"...and with this crown...I declare Malefor, the new King of Avalar, and ruler of the Dragon Realms..."

Malefor turns around, allowing the young dragon whom crowned his head, to place a paw upon the bridge of his nose.

"...may the Ancestors guide you and protect you!"

The King of Avalar plucks Sparx out of the air, and hugs him tightly. However, he quickly notices his left hind paw dug into his father's chest, and gives Spyro a wink, knowing the young dragon will never let his Father go.

"And may the Ancestors watch over you and your family...Sparx...eldest of the great hero Spyro and his incredible wife Cynder..." The large dragon remarks with pure pride in his voice, before placing his paw upon the young dragon's heart.

"..and the best son...a father never had!"

THE END

* * *

><p><strong>I truly hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed telling it. Eleven months have passed since I decide to rewrite the original, and though it is not perfect, I am happy with what I have presented to you. <strong>

**I will continue trying to get better, and only hope you notice the improvement as I progress into the next story. **

**Until then...Thank you for reading, and please review **


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